Russian President Vladimir Putin is dismissing calls for peace negotiations with Ukraine and could escalate the war in the coming months, Reuters reported on July 9, citing three sources close to the Kremlin.
One source who regularly meets with Putin said the probability of escalation in the coming months is “high.” According to sources who spoke with Reuters, successful Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries and other targets deep inside Russia have further hardened Putin’s resolve to continue fighting and “dig in his heels.”
Putin currently remains firmly committed to his key objective of seizing all of the Donbas region, despite a slowdown in the pace of Russian troop advances, one source said. According to that source, the Russian leader recently rebuked a group of advisers who had proposed a compromise based on a ceasefire along the current front lines. A second source said Putin believes Russia will capture Donbas soon.
“Russia is ready for a peaceful resolution but has enough capability to act independently and continue the special military operation,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in response to a Reuters request for comment.
Ukraine’s Office of the President confirmed that intelligence reports in recent months have indicated Putin was preparing for further military action rather than peace, including new operations in Ukraine or a possible attack on another European country.
Some Western military analysts believe Russia would need to carry out mandatory conscription to capture Donbas — a politically unpopular move Putin has so far avoided.
Potential escalation scenarios could include strikes or operations on European territory, including in the Baltic states, according to military experts. Such a move would draw Russia into direct confrontation with NATO, led by the United States, testing the alliance’s resolve to defend a member country if attacked, Reuters reported. Russia could also escalate tensions through drone attacks targeting European countries.
“The Russians would not be aiming for a war with NATO. But it could be used to divide NATO over how to respond,” said Jack Watling of the London-based Royal United Services Institute (RUSI).
Watling added that heightened tensions with the alliance could give Putin political cover to justify conscription within Russia.
Concerns over escalation come as Russian forces have slowed on the battlefield, with the capture of Donetsk Oblast likely to require substantial time and manpower. According to the source who regularly meets with Putin, the Russian leader views seizing the rest of Donbas as “a matter of principle,” since he “needs some kind of victory.”
On June 26, 2026, The Guardian reported, citing Western intelligence, that Russia was preparing military provocations in the Baltic states or Poland amid mounting pressure from Ukraine’s long-range strikes on Russian cities. A full-scale invasion was not expected; instead, the provocations could take the form of hybrid attacks, including missile or drone strikes or other actions.
On June 29, Lithuania’s Defense Ministry said it saw no signs that Russia was preparing a large-scale military attack on the Baltic states, though it said the threat of sabotage remained high.
On July 3, media outlets reported that the United States had warned Poland of possible Russian provocations, without ruling out the threat of a conventional ground attack.
© 2026 The New Voice of Ukraine
His warped logic seems clear. UKR has no answer for balistic missles. If the orcish population starts to rumble about gas, he can show balistic missle destruction – “see what THEY are going thru?” So thats his ace in the hole. Plus, Im convinced the population would vent their frustration else where, beside the Kraplin.
Sir Bill Browder said a long time ago that putler “has no reverse gear.”
The rat nazi still has many options. Mass mobilization is just one, but he might find it cheaper and easier simply to increase the already huge (by putlerstan standards) sign-on fee and salary to get several hundreds of thousands more orcs.
He can also scrape the bottom of the third world barrel; again.
Attacking one of the Balts would make conscription easier, because vatniks could be motivated not just by money but whipped-up patriotism.
That might be why General Valerii Zaluzhnyi was so dour and cautious in his recent OpEd in the DT.
IMHO it also cast doubt on his suitability for the presidency should he run. His article was devoid of inspiration and motivation.
You don’t expect him to reveal any secrets, but he should at least have hinted that he has formulated some dynamic solutions for Ukraine.
His first counteroffensive; in 2022, was a stunning success, but the one in 2023 was a tragic failure, which opponents would exploit if he chucks his hat into the political ring.
I have a suspicion that Zaluzhny is either jealous of others, like Syrskyi, Budanov, and Brovari, or is simply not the right kind of guy to lead the military. There’s got to be a good reason why he was forced to go.
Petr Pavel in the DT today :
“Ukraine has two months to restart peace talks or risk Russia escalating the war, the Czech president has said.
Petr Pavel warned that Vladimir Putin could declare a general mobilisation after elections set to be held on Sept 20.
“I believe that the window is there for us to keep pushing and giving Russia a clear message that we are willing to start negotiations,” the retired general and former head of Nato’s military committee told The Telegraph.
He added: “Russia will have parliamentary elections in September. President Putin will hardly declare mobilisation before, but once the elections are over, then the window will shrink.”
This affects Europe, too. Ukraine’s fate is also Europe’s.
Defence24: Poland Has Supplied Ukraine With 5 PAC-3 Missiles :
Kill the MOFO