Putin Firm on Ukraine War Goals Despite Trump’s Sanctions Threats, Kremlin Sources Say

Moscow/Kyiv, July 16, 2025: Russian President Vladimir Putin remains determined to continue the war in Ukraine until Western nations engage with him on his terms for peace, undeterred by U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest threats of tougher sanctions, sources close to the Kremlin said.

According to three individuals familiar with Kremlin thinking, Putin believes that both Russia’s economy and its military are strong enough to endure further Western measures. These sources indicated that as Russian forces gain ground, Putin’s territorial demands could expand even further.

Earlier this week, Trump voiced frustration over Putin’s refusal to agree to a ceasefire. He announced a new wave of weapons shipments to Ukraine, including Patriot surface-to-air missile systems, and warned of imposing additional sanctions unless a peace deal is reached within 50 days.

However, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday dismissed the threat of 100 percent tariffs against Russia and its trading partners, insisting that Moscow is well prepared to withstand further economic restrictions.

Meanwhile, Ukrainians welcomed Washington’s pledge of new weapons for their ongoing fight against Russia’s invasion. Yet uncertainty remains over the specific types of military aid and how quickly it can be delivered.

The Kremlin has also accused European governments of seeking to prolong the conflict in Ukraine while adopting a softer approach toward the United States, suggesting that Washington is more eager to bring an end to the fighting.

One of the Kremlin-linked sources stated, “Putin thinks no one has seriously engaged with him on the details of peace in Ukraine including the Americans so he will continue until he gets what he wants.”

Putin’s conditions for ending the conflict include a legally binding assurance that NATO will not expand eastward, Ukrainian neutrality and restrictions on its armed forces, protection for Russian-speaking populations in Ukraine, and recognition of Russia’s territorial gains.

The sources added that while Putin is open to discussing a security guarantee for Ukraine involving major global powers, there is no clear framework for how such an agreement would work. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly vowed that Ukraine will never recognize Russian control over its annexed territories.