The Kremlin's True Goals
- 2.09.2026, 14:49
For Putin, the root cause of the war is the existence of an independent Ukraine.
Moscow rejected the idea of a trilateral summit involving the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, and the United States this week. Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov stated that the meeting makes “absolutely no sense” if the parties are not prepared to sign a peace agreement immediately. This refusal once again demonstrates the Kremlin’s unwillingness to make real compromises, writes Atlantic Council.
After Donald Trump returned to the White House in early 2025, Russian officials repeatedly declared their readiness for diplomacy, while simultaneously accusing Kyiv and the West of derailing peace initiatives. However, Putin continues to put forward conditions that effectively threaten the existence of an independent Ukraine.
Moscow’s key demand remains the elimination of the so-called “root causes” of the war. Behind this phrasing lies the Kremlin’s refusal to accept Ukraine’s independence.
Russia’s conditions call for the recognition of the occupied territories as part of Russia, Kyiv’s relinquishment of a significant portion of the Donbas, and the de facto disarmament of the country. Moscow demands that Ukraine’s accession to NATO be ruled out, that its military cooperation with Western states be restricted, and that the capabilities of the Ukrainian army be significantly reduced.
In addition, the Kremlin seeks to restore its influence over Ukraine’s domestic politics. Among Moscow’s demands are special status for the Russian language, expanded privileges for the Russian Orthodox Church, and a revision of Ukraine’s historical policy. The authors also point to plans to ban so-called “nationalist” parties, which would create conditions for the emergence of a government loyal to Moscow.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov continues to reject a ceasefire agreement along the current front lines, arguing that it would leave a “Nazi regime in power.”
“Russia is not interested only in Donetsk or Luhansk. Its goal is all of Ukraine,” stated Ukrainian Defense Minister Yevhen Khmara.
“Moscow uses diplomatic rhetoric to legitimize the maximalist goals of the war, whereas peace, as the Kremlin sees it, means Ukraine’s subjugation to Russian interests,” the authors at the Atlantic Council argue.