Putin unmoved by Trump threats, set to prolong Ukraine war: Sources
President Vladimir Putin is determined to press ahead with Russia’s war in Ukraine until Western powers agree to peace on his terms, despite mounting US pressure and the threat of further sanctions from Donald Trump, Reuters reported on Monday, citing three sources close to the Kremlin.
The sources, who are familiar with internal Kremlin discussions, said Putin is not deterred by Trump’s recent warnings of tougher economic penalties or the US decision to increase military aid to Ukraine. Instead, the Russian president remains confident that both the Russian economy and military can withstand further Western pressure, including the threat of US tariffs on Russian oil exports.
"Putin thinks no one has seriously engaged with him on the details of peace in Ukraine, including the Americans, so he will continue until he gets what he wants," one source told Reuters on condition of anonymity.
On Monday, President Trump expressed frustration over Putin’s resistance to a ceasefire and pledged to send additional US weaponry to Kyiv, including Patriot missile systems. He also gave Russia a 50-day deadline to agree to a peace deal, threatening more sanctions if no progress is made.
Read more: VIDEO: Trump gives Russia 50 days to make Ukraine deal
The three sources said that from Moscow’s perspective, Washington’s outreach has fallen short of serious engagement. Despite several phone calls between Trump and Putin and recent visits to Moscow by US special envoy Steve Witkoff, the Kremlin believes there have been no substantive negotiations over a peace framework.
Publicly, the Kremlin has taken a cautious tone in response to Trump’s latest announcements. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday that Moscow would “analyze what was said in Washington,” calling the US stance “very serious.”
However, behind the scenes, Russian officials appear to be somewhat relieved. Observers in Moscow say the White House could have imposed immediate or harsher sanctions, such as the proposed 500 percent tariff on Russian oil currently under discussion in the US Senate.
Still, Kremlin insiders say such threats are unlikely to shift Putin’s stance. Since launching the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 — following years of conflict between Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian forces in the Donbas — Putin has shown no sign of backing down.
“Russia has already weathered the harshest sanctions the West could impose,” one of the sources said. “Another wave won’t change the course of the war.”
