Bloomberg: Russia plans to intensify attacks on Ukraine through winter, serious peace talks unlikely before 2027
Bloomberg reports, citing sources, that Trump's envoys made no progress in Moscow, Russia intends to step up attacks over the winter, and serious peace talks are unlikely before next year.
Bloomberg has reported, citing informed sources, that President Donald Trump’s envoys made no progress toward a peace settlement during their visit to Moscow. Russia is preparing to intensify its offensive against Ukraine through the winter in order to test both Ukraine’s endurance and the resolve of Kyiv’s allies.
One source told Bloomberg that over the next six months Russia plans to increase strikes on Ukraine’s energy and heating infrastructure in an effort to make life unbearable for the population. The source added that Moscow also intends to step up hybrid attacks and political interference in Europe in order to undermine support for Kyiv.
Another source said Russian President Vladimir Putin expects to be in a stronger position next spring. A further source indicated that serious peace talks are unlikely before next year. According to Bloomberg’s interlocutors, Putin has shown no signs of softening his position, despite recent signals from Washington that new approaches are needed to restart the stalled negotiation process.
Trump’s envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, arrived in Moscow on September 5 and met Putin before traveling to Kyiv the next day. Financial Times reported that in Kyiv both sides broadly acknowledged the war would probably not end before winter, and the envoys discussed how to help Ukraine through that difficult period.
Putin ordered a three-day pause in strikes on Kyiv while Witkoff and Kushner were visiting Moscow and Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky promised that Ukraine would ensure the normal functioning of Russian airspace so the negotiators could arrive safely. Russia resumed strikes on Kyiv on September 8.
