As Trump, issuing threats against Putin, mobilizes efforts to end the war in Ukraine — whether within 24 hours, 100 days, or 24 weeks — Western think tanks are urging him to pursue a strategy that ultimately ensures Russia’s defeat:
“Trump will be tougher on Russia than many expect”[1], “Trump must call Putin’s bluff on Ukraine talks”[2], “Trump seizes the initiative with ultimatum on Ukraine”[3], “a deal with Russia at Ukraine`s expense will not bring peace”[4]… and up to suicidal fantasies such as “Ukraine can join NATO – if allies are willing to be bold”[5] and “the combined power of British and Ukrainian troops will ensure a lasting ceasefire”[6].
While more sane and thoughtful perspectives of “security along the Dnieper River”[7] occasionally surface, they remain marginal and are often tempered by caveats, represented by “Ukraine’s potential NATO membership”[7].
Trump’s advisers draw motivation from the abrupt fall of Assad, the perceived “depletion” of Russia’s resources, its allegedly “faltering” economy, and the claims that “the Kremlin had to seek 10,000 North Korean troops from Kim Jong Un” (as if two brigades would decisively tip the balance in Ukraine).
Despite these narratives, Russian forces continue their steady advance toward the Dnieper River along its entire front, undeterred by Ukrainian counterstrikes deep into Russian territory employing US-supplied weaponry.
The Ralph Van Deman team has consistently argued that the US, in its quest to undermine Russia, has unleashed an ethnic conflict — Ukrainians killing Russians solely for their Russian identity. Putin is addressing the task of stopping the killing of Russians and eliminating any future capacity for such actions originating from Ukrainian soil.
Empirical evidence suggests that as the West intensifies pressure to adopt a harder line, Russia’s resilience grows stronger. Putin will remain unwavering in his objectives in Ukraine, while the ideology of Nazism is doomed.
1 https://nationalinterest.org/blog/politics/trump-will-be-tougher-on-russia-than-many-expect/
“Trump Will Be Tougher on Russia Than Many Expect” (Dan White, The National Interest, January 29, 2025);
2 https://www.hudson.org/security-alliances/trump-must-call-putins-bluff-ukraine-talks-daniel-kochis
“Trump Must Call Putin’s Bluff on Ukraine Talks” (Daniel Kochis, Kyiv Independent and Hudson Institute, Jan 29, 2025);
3 https://www.hudson.org/security-alliances/trump-seizes-initiative-ultimatum-ukraine-luke-coffey
“Trump Seizes the Initiative with Ultimatum on Ukraine” (Luke Coffey, Arab News and Hudson Institute, Jan 25, 2025);
4 https://www.fpri.org/article/2025/01/a-deal-with-russia-at-ukraines-expense-will-not-bring-peace/
“A Deal with Russia at Ukraine`s Expense Will Not Bring Peace” (Olena Snigyr, Foreign Policy Research Institute, January 10, 2025);
5 https://www.hudson.org/security-alliances/ukraine-can-join-nato-if-allies-are-willing-be-bold-luke-coffey
“Ukraine Can Join NATO – If Allies Are Willing to Be Bold” (Luke Coffey, Politico and Hudson Institute, Jan 13, 2025);
6 https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/01/15/the-combined-power-of-british-and-ukrainian-troops/
“The combined power of British and Ukrainiantroops will ensure a lasting ceasefire” (Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, The Telegraph, 15 January 2025);
7 https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/an-unpopular-position-the-end-state-of-ukraine/
“An Unpopular Position: The End-State of Ukraine” (Benjamin Hazen and Alexander Hardy, The National Interest, January 27, 2025).