Putin's Endgame: A Neutral Ukraine and a Fraying European Order
Four Russia-Ukraine experts argue Putin’s aims have stayed constant: a neutral, demilitarized Ukraine under Russian influence with Crimea and Donbas non-negotiable; but whether he seeks full political control or a stalemate is debated. With Western guarantees unreliable, Ukraine must rely on its own military, and any settlement would hinge on a ceasefire and demarcation that tests the rules-based order.