Winter is coming: Putin seeks to ‘hammer Ukrainians, their power grid, their water supplies’

Renewed attempts to negotiate an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine face major obstacles, including Russia’s territorial demands and disagreement over European security. Russia expert Mark Galeotti says the Kremlin’s hard-line public stance may still leave room for concessions, but warns that the dispute over Donbas looks especially difficult to resolve.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is seeking control of the whole Donbas region, while Ukraine refuses to give up territory it still holds. Galeotti says neither side appears ready to make the concessions needed for a breakthrough. He also contrasts conventional diplomacy with Donald Trump’s approach of making public declarations first, leaving others to try to turn them into policy.