Bloomberg, citing “Kremlin sources,” claims that Vladimir Putin has concluded that escalation is the most effective way to push Kiev to negotiate on Russian terms.

After the Anchorage summit with Donald Trump, Moscow is convinced that Washington has little interest in taking on more responsibility, while Trump continues to insist that Europe should bear the burden.

Since then, Russia has intensified its attacks on Ukraine’s energy system and military infrastructure, according to Bloomberg, and while Western commentators have described it as a “failure,” Kremlin insiders have described it as a deliberate war of attrition aimed at exhausting Kyiv and forcing it to make concessions.

The Russian president also noted the West’s acceptance of Benjamin Netanyahu’s campaign of destruction in Gaza, which he considers much more brutal than Russia’s actions in Ukraine. This acceptance, according to Kremlin officials cited by Bloomberg, undermines Western criticism of Moscow and reveals the double standards in Washington and Brussels’ rhetoric.

Putin, they add, will remain open to dialogue with the United States, but his actions will be strictly guided by Russia’s interests rather than pressure from governments that turn a blind eye to the excesses of their own allies.

@svezhesti