Putin is preparing his elite for a century-long war – rosmedia
28 March 2025 17:23
Russian leader Vladimir Putin has made it clear to influential Russian officials and businessmen that the prospect of a quick end to the war in Ukraine is unlikely. Despite the fact that U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly spoken publicly in favor of establishing relations with Russia, the Kremlin is cautious about such a sharp turnaround by Washington. This is stated in an article by Faridaily, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
Tensions in the Russian elite
The article states that the change in US rhetoric has caused not only expectations but also considerable concern among Russian officials. Some of them fear that instead of a new era of cooperation with Washington, another round of geopolitical confrontation may begin.
Putin, trying to seize the chance to restore relations with the United States, is pushing other domestic political issues to the back burner. State media have even been advised to tone down their anti-American rhetoric. At the same time, against the backdrop of these changes, the Kremlin remains skeptical about the West’s willingness to make concessions.
Thus, on March 18, Putin held a private meeting with leading Russian businessmen and corporate executives. According to the participants, the main topics of discussion were the war in Ukraine and the prospects for dialogue with the United States. It is noted that the Kremlin head did not promise a quick resolution of the conflict, but rather emphasized the complexity of the process. Some of those present pointed out that Putin’s mood was positive, but without excessive optimism.
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“The war of the century”: betting on attrition
Sources familiar with the situation say that Putin believes he can find an approach to Trump and convince him to end the war on terms favorable to Moscow. Over the past two months, since Trump’s inauguration, Putin has made fewer public appearances. The Kremlin has started releasing more pre-recorded videos of him, which indicates that the Russian president is concentrating on negotiations with the United States and military operations in Ukraine.
Due to his focus on the negotiations, Putin even postponed his annual address to the Federal Assembly, a constitutionally mandated event during which he announces the strategic goals of the state. The last time such a delay occurred was in 2022 after the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. According to the sources, the key socio-economic theses of the speech are clear, but the political part will depend on the outcome of contacts with Washington.
At the same time, however, Putin is preparing for a protracted confrontation.
“Putin is ready to wait until Ukraine is exhausted. And this is not a stupid strategy,”
– said one of the sources.
Another source familiar with the negotiations added:
“But he [Putin] is also ready to fight [for] a century.”
Prospects for a meeting with Trump
Despite numerous telephone conversations, Putin and Trump have not yet met in person. Earlier it was reported that it could take place at the end of February, but this did not happen. So far, the date of the summit talks remains uncertain, adding to the unpredictability of the situation for the Russian elite.
Meanwhile, Trump’s initiatives have even prompted the Kremlin to change the tone of Russian state propaganda. There are no longer any claims on state television that the United States is seeking to start a third world war or is trying to destroy Russia. France and the United Kingdom have now been appointed to the role of Russia’s greatest enemies, and they are proclaiming further military support for Ukraine.
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Chronicle of US-Russian negotiations
on February 18, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Russian Assistant Prime Minister Yuri Ushakov met in Saudi Arabia with an American delegation, represented by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor Mike Volz and Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff.
After the talks, the US State Department reported that the delegations agreed to “eliminate irritants” in bilateral relations and continue to work on preparing talks on Russia’s war against Ukraine.
The two sides also agreed to appoint high-level groups for further talks on Ukraine.
Jackie Heinrich, a Fox News correspondent at the White House, reported that the United States and Russia discussed a three-stage peace plan for Ukraine, which consists of the following stages
- A ceasefire.
- Holding elections in Ukraine.
- Conclusion of a peace agreement.
on February 27, negotiations between the Americans and Russians continued in Istanbul. According to the Russian side, they discussed the normalization of diplomatic relations. The Kremlin also allegedly demanded the return of 6 properties that had been seized from Russians in the United States in 2016-2018, and also proposed to resume air travel.
on March 13, Putin met in Moscow with Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff. The parties have not yet made any statements about the results of this meeting, except for the words of Trump’s national security adviser Mike Volz that there are grounds for cautious optimism.
on March 25, the United States agreed with Ukraine and Russia to ban attacks in the Black Sea.
Trump’s proposals to Putin
According to inaccurate information from former US Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul(he used the word “allegedly”), Trump offered Putin (McFaul’s wording is retained)
- ukrainian territory;
- ukraine’s non-membership in NATO;
- no American soldiers in Ukraine;
- withdrawal of American soldiers from Europe, including from frontline countries;
- easing of sanctions.
Putin, according to McFaul, has not offered anything yet.
