With no sign of progress in peace talks and President Trump dragging his feet on implementing new sanctions, Russian President Vladimir Putin feels that he can press on and try to break Ukraine this summer. In recent months, Trump has repeatedly extended timelines to accommodate Putin, even expressing surprise at Putin’s bombing of areas with children and calling him “crazy.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has pushed back on claims of Russian momentum, calling it a “Russian narrative” meant to weaken Western resolve. He warned that Moscow’s interest in the U.S.-led peace talks is not genuine but a ploy to avoid new sanctions and isolate Ukraine from its partners.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recently told U.S. lawmakers that next year’s budget will include a “reduction” in aid to Ukraine, without providing details. Oleksandr Merezhko, head of Ukraine’s foreign affairs committee, warned that any cuts weaken Ukraine’s defense and benefit Russia.

However, this is exactly what Putin is hoping for from Trump. Eventually, Putin believes the U.S. will grow weary of opposing Russia and lose interest. With the U.S. bombing of Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend, Trump’s focus will likely drift even further from Ukraine.

Russia has now amassed around 50,000 soldiers around Ukraine’s Sumy region and started a new offensive in the sector. This is likely to distract Kyiv from Donetsk Oblast, the main objective of Moscow’s summer offensive.

Ukrainian authorities admitted that Russia has already captured a few settlements in

© The Hill