Putin maintains maximalist demands amid intensified Ukraine offensive

Russian President Vladimir Putin is intensifying military operations in Ukraine while maintaining maximalist peace demands. According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Moscow shows no signs of willingness to make significant compromises. Russia continues to demand the complete withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions, alongside the demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine and its abandonment of NATO aspirations.

Analysts suggest Putin is operating under a distorted perception of the battlefield, believing Russian forces hold a decisive advantage. This stance persists despite reports of internal Kremlin tensions. Some sources indicate that the prolonged conflict is causing economic and political attrition within Russia, with domestic consensus reportedly wavering as the war continues. The Kremlin's focus is also being stretched by military engagements and technological support provided to Iran in the Middle East.