A new Putin-Trump pincer movement?

Russian President Vladimir Putin leaves no room for hope of a truly negotiated peace. When US President Donald Trump flatters him and buys into his rhetoric, he adopts a conciliatory tone. When he sees Ukraine succeeding in bringing Europe and the United States closer together, he makes no secret of his anger and responds aggressively. This is what happened on Wednesday. Kyiv's concessions—rejecting its NATO membership in exchange for other security guarantees—have infuriated him. Putin wants to consolidate his gains in Ukraine and wants the country under his control, without Western military and political support. His response has been harsh. On the one hand, he has called European leaders "pigs," and on the other, he has threatened more war. In fact, he has said that, as things stand, he doubts any agreement can be reached by 2026. According to the Kremlin, NATO, as explicitly stated by its Secretary General, Mark Rutte, has begun to accelerate preparations for a confrontation with Moscow in the early 2030s, which "creates the real conditions for the continuation of military action until 2026: we are not in, we are not in. Hypothetical peace is slipping away. The weary skepticism of the Ukrainians is perfectly justified."

Specifically, and according to Putin,European leaders are deliberately raising the "level of hysteria" of their population."They are being brainwashed with imaginary fears about an inevitable clash with Russia, being told they must prepare for a major war. This is a lie, pure nonsense." Simplism? Nor did it seem possible that war would return to the heart of Europe with a Russian invasion, which will soon mark its fourth anniversary. Moscow's expansionism and militarism are a reality. Putin started the war, wanting swift action to establish a puppet government in Kyiv. But it didn't work out for him. And now he needs an ending that looks like a victory and shows no willingness for genuine peace negotiations. He called European leaders "pigs," played the victim again, and brandished historical grievances, threatened to conquer the "historical Russian territories" controlled by Ukraine, and, moreover, warned that he will imminently put the hypersonic missile on combat alert. This missile has a range of thousands of kilometers, is capable of reaching any point in the European Union, can carry nuclear warheads, and was first used in Ukraine in late 2024.

of the far right that may be more inclined to support it. A desire in which, paradoxically (or perhaps not so paradoxically), he coincides with Trump. He says he wants peace with Ukraine, but without haste: "If not with the current politicians, then when the political elites of Europe are replaced." A new Putin-Trump pincer movement?