Media: Putin May End The War By Mid-2027
- 27.08.2026, 17:29
If Ukraine holds out through the winter.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe made an unexpected visit to Moscow, which—contrary to statements by U.S. President Donald Trump—can hardly be called a routine trip. The visit may be linked to Washington’s growing concerns about Putin’s actions, writes The Atlantic.
Ratcliffe arrived in the Russian capital on a C-17A military transport aircraft, which was quickly identified and tracked by open-source intelligence experts. Just a few hours later, the CIA director left Russia. Neither Moscow nor Washington disclosed any official details about the purpose of the trip. Trump called the visit “in a sense, routine.” Such trips by CIA directors to Russia are extremely rare. The last such visit took place in November 2021, when William Burns warned the Kremlin that the U.S. was aware of Putin’s plans to invade Ukraine.
Ratcliffe’s current trip may indicate the Trump administration’s desire to warn Moscow of the consequences of further escalation.
Against this backdrop, Russia continues to suffer heavy losses in Ukraine, while Ukrainian drones regularly attack military targets and oil infrastructure deep within Russian territory. At the same time, U.S. intelligence is concerned that Moscow might take more risky actions against NATO countries.
“Russia is getting weaker, and that could make Putin more reckless,” writes The Atlantic.
Sabotage and attacks in European countries supporting Ukraine are causing particular alarm. In addition, Moscow has intensified its missile strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure and, according to Western media reports, may be preparing a new large-scale mobilization.
However, if Ukraine survives the winter and retains the ability to strike deep into Russian territory, Putin may decide to end the war by mid-2027. Ahead of the possible arrival of a more pro-Ukrainian U.S. president in 2029, the Russian leader may agree to a deal with the current administration that is favorable to Moscow. It could include most of the points in Trump’s 28-point plan, but without requiring Ukraine to cede the territories it controls.
“This would allow Putin to mend relations with Washington during the remainder of Trump’s presidency—to secure the lifting of sanctions, Russia’s return to the G7, and indirectly weaken NATO through a partnership with the U.S. president,” the authors argue.