The Times Has Revealed The Personal Reason That Drives Putin's War Drive

Full-scale war is not just about territories.

The Donbass has suffered the most of any region since Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin first sent troops into Ukraine in 2014 and then launched a full-scale invasion eight years later. Many cities and towns have been badly destroyed, with Russian bombardment killing at least 20,000 civilians in the port city of Mariupol alone, according to Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky.

In a bid to broker a peace deal that has eluded him for nearly a year, US President Donald Trump is trying to press Kiev to hand over all of Donbass to Moscow so that a ceasefire can take effect by Christmas, writes The Times.

Kremlin says the fighting will not stop until Ukraine withdraws troops, including the fortified cities of Kramatorsk and Slavyansk in the Donetsk region.

The military may not agree to such concessions for Russia

Even if Zelensky wanted to cede the land to Russia, Ukraine's constitution says the territory can only be given after a nationwide referendum - and holding one during a war is extremely difficult, if not impossible, the piece said. However, a referendum would not be necessary if Kiev simply withdrew its troops, formally not recognizing Russian authority, the media outlet writes.

At the same time, Nikolai Beleskov, a leading analyst at the Turn Live Foundation, believes that some of the military could disobey the order to retreat from Donbass - with unpredictable consequences for national unity. "When Ukrainians are forced to make unjustified concessions, it smells of national humiliation - especially for those who have been fighting for more than 11 years," he said.

The Russian army controls almost all of the Luhansk region and more than 80 percent of the Donetsk region. Putin says Russia will seize all of Donbass if Ukraine does not surrender. But as Beleskov points out, fighting for Kramatorsk and Slavyansk would cost Moscow tens of thousands of lives. "Even if you end up losing territory, it's better to make the enemy pay a heavy price rather than create conditions for his next offensive. Retreating without a fight is politically difficult and militarily dangerous," he emphasized.

He also noted that even if Ukraine cedes Donbass, the Kremlin is unlikely to stop the invasion. "From Russia's point of view, all these plans (backed by the US) are not about a real settlement, but about creating and using splits in Ukraine to then continue the offensive and further strengthen its bargaining position."

The pressure on Ukraine and Kiev's position

Although Zelensky received a show of support from European allies during a meeting in Downing Street this week, his position has been weakened by a corruption scandal that led last month to the resignation of Andriy Yermak, an influential adviser who was considered the second man in the country, media reports said.

While the departure of the OP head was certainly a blow to Zelensky, there is no indication yet that it has affected negotiations with the US.

"Many are beginning to realize that Yermak's real political influence has been greatly exaggerated," wrote political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko, who is close to the presidential administration.

The US-backed plan also called for presidential elections in Ukraine within 100 days. Zelensky's first term was supposed to end last year, but the election was postponed due to martial law imposed after Russia invaded in 2022. Because of this, Trump recently said in an interview with Politico that Ukraine is "no longer a democracy."

Zelensky rejected accusations of "clinging to power" and said Ukraine is ready to hold elections within the next 60 to 90 days if Europe and the U.S. help provide security. "I am ready for elections," he said.

Trump, on the other hand, expects to end the war by Christmas, giving Kiev just days to respond to the offer. Zelensky, for his part, told European leaders that he is under pressure to make a quick decision on territorial concessions.

Russia's full-scale war is not just about territories

The media writes that Moscow has repeatedly made it clear that its invasion of Ukraine is not just about territory. The main goal is to remove the so-called "root causes" of the war - a Russian designation for the pro-Western government in Kiev. The Kremlin also wants to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO and limit the size of its army.

But Putin's first prime minister, now living in exile, Mikhail Kasyanov said the Russian leader is obsessed with getting the West to recognize Russian control over all of Donbass. "This is a matter of respect for him and his power - so that no one can think he is weak," the expert said.

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