The Russian president has no incentive to sit down and seriously negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine
Russian soldiers ride a self-propelled gun in Ukraine on Monday Credit: Russian Defence Ministry/AP
Lisa Haseldene
09 June 2025 3:08pm BST
In the aftermath of Ukraine’s audacious “Operation Spider’s Web”, which claimed as many as 41 of Russia’s military jets in drone attacks on four airbases across the country last Sunday, Vladimir Putin vowed revenge.
Relaying his conversation with the Russian president in the attack’s aftermath, Donald Trump said – without the slightest hint of alarm or condemnation – “president Putin did say, and very strongly, that he will have to respond to the recent attack on the airfields”.
Now, it appears that response has arrived. Overnight, Moscow launched its “biggest overnight bombardment” of the war so far, according to Ukraine’s air force, directing 479 drones and 20 missiles predominantly at the western and central parts of the country.
The attack reached as far west as Rivne, unnerving Poland – Ukraine’s neighbour – to such a degree that it felt compelled to scramble its airforce to patrol for stray missiles.
Moscow has been ramping up the intensity of its attacks on Ukraine for several weeks now, setting new records for the number of drones launched on consecutive weekends in a row. But Operation Spider’s Web appears to have triggered an escalation in Russia’s bombardment.
Just on Thursday, Ukrainian officials reported that over 400 had once again been launched at the country, with the capital city Kyiv heavily bombarded and over 50 people injured nationwide.
While Ukraine’s air defences are able to shoot down most of the drones sent their way, even the fraction that get through manage to do a great deal of damage and impact civilian morale, as Ukrainians across the country are forced into bomb shelters day after day.
The escalation in Moscow’s aerial attacks on Ukraine comes as the signs increasingly point to yet another new Russian offensive getting underway this summer. Some analysts argue that it has already started.
Putin’s forces are advancing through Donetsk and Luhansk and appear to have their sights set on the region of Dnipropetrovsk. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed this morning that the aim of the advance was, in part, to create a “buffer zone” along the front line.
According to Ukrainian military intelligence, some 125,000 Russian troops are also being amassed in the Sumy and Kharkiv regions. Some analysts suggest their aim could be to try and push forward as close to the Dnipro river, which runs north to south through the country, by the end of the year as possible.
For all of Putin’s insistence to Trump that he is ready to discuss an end to his war in Ukraine, the actions of his army suggest quite the opposite. Last month, while Russian and Ukrainian delegations met in Istanbul to notionally discuss terms for the end to the war, Putin’s troops gained territory twice as quickly as in April.
Bluntly put, despite Operation Spider’s Web, Putin remains on the front foot in the war and as long as he’s willing to sacrifice ever more Russians to the meat grinder of the front line, he will probably remain so. At the moment, he simply has no incentive to sit down and seriously negotiate an end to this conflict – with Trump, Zelensky or anyone else. To think otherwise is simply delusional.
Comment from :
Nick Brand
It’s not all up to Trump. The Indians could stop supporting Russia . European nations still in the EU are buying their energy.
Russian assets are still just frozen but not helping Ukraine so much.
Trevor Smallwood
Reply to Nick Brand
The US was an integral part of the nations supporting Ukraine. If that changed because Trump wanted it changed, then yes, the abrupt cessation of support is down to Trump.
If course you are right though. The responsibility is Russia’s.
David Riley
Putin has no intention of finding a peaceful solution and is just playing the old fool in the White House.
Trevor Smallwood
Reply to David Riley
Trump is busy creating chaos and undermining civil order wherever he goes. He can’t be bothered wasting energy on Ukraine. He has other fish to fry.
Hat Porter
Reply to Trevor Smallwood
He was only ever interested in helping when he thought he would get the Nobel Peach Prize. Like all narcissists, once he didn’t get his way quickly, he lost interest.
Trevor Smallwood
Vlad has been preparing for this summer. It’s important timing. He is running out of time and his economy is weakened.
Ukraine will stand and fight but Trump has aided the Russians by his unwillingness to strengthen Ukraine. This week the US sent air defence missiles to the Middle East that had been destined for Ukraine. While pretending to a ‘peace process’ Trump has effectively left Ukrainian cities exposed.
The question is was it deliberate?
Hat Porter
Reply to Trevor Smallwood
And the answer is YES. Of course. How could it not have been deliberate?
Trevor Smallwood
Reply to Hat Porter
I agree. I feel like I wasted time watching his posturing. I should have acknowledged his constant practical support for Vlad. I knew he had never given any indication he would support Ukraine but I thought he might struggle to overturn the wider US support. As it turns out, apparently not.
james Sebastion
Trump is a disgrace to the human race . He has quite deliberately abandoned Ukraine and thrown them to the wolves, regardless of the consequences . He really does not care one iota.
Is this what he calls ending the war in one day.
He has much blood on his hands.
Trump is not Churchill
When will people wake up!
Russia does not want peace.
It doesn’t just want east Ukraine.
It doesn’t want just Ukraine.
WAKE UP.
Trump is a complete more on.
Trump is actively delaying an end to the war and causing thousands more killings. He just won’t pressure Putin. It is PATHETIC.
John Fellows
Just imagine what the Russians will do to the Ukranian people – particularly women and girls – if they are allowed to win.
marcel stchedroff
Why does Chump remain so enthralled by Puke’s non-negotiable ‘NYET’ to a 30 days ceasefire antics, one begins to seriously wonder?
As we all know, Ukraine invaded Russia, is a Nazi regime & doesn’t hold valid elections absolutely quite unlike its opposite: the virtuous Puke regime in The Kremlin!
Ian Metcalfe
Beggars belief that anyone even entertains the notion that Russia wants peace. Almost as deluded is the notion that Russia’s endgame is Ukraine. Rather than hosting more summits and talking nonsense of peacekeeping forces, the West needs to ensure Ukraine has at least ten times the amount of drones, missiles and all other supplies as Russia has.
Malcolm McIntyre
Reply to Ian Metcalfe
Very well said…but Trump has stopped deliveries to Ukraine and diverted the supplies elsewhere…so it is up to Europe now. It is completely obvious that Putin does not want peace. Neither he nor the Russian economy can afford peace.
Carl Davies
I have it from first hand sources – any country bordering Russia’s Eastern flank, are absolutely convinced Putin’s goal is to re-institute the USSR, as it stood after WWII- In its entirity. The Latvian lady spoke of son’s being recalled for conscription, wherever they live in Europe, and this being the case across Eastern Europ.
The Baltics are very much gearing up.
This a critical, deadly situation. There is absolute intent. The mettle of Ukranians is simply buying time till the next Russian assault.
With the biggest deterrent in the hands of a pampered casino clown, Europe has to shake out of its stupor and arm to the teeth – lest Putin gets past Ukraine and finds he can just stroll as far westward as he fancies.