With U.S. President Donald Trump’s deadline for Moscow to reach a ceasefire deal with Kyiv originally set for today, the White House announced an imminent meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Russia appears to have little incentive to pursue a ceasefire agreement, economically or strategically, with analysis estimating that Russia could sustain its war effort for at least the next three years under current conditions. Any form of additional economic pressure that further limits Moscow’s access to revenue and critical resources—such as the secondary sanctions set to be enacted today—may eventually compel the Kremlin to take negotiations more seriously. Because of Russia’s relatively successful summer offensive and the time it will take for secondary sanctions to impact its economy noticeably, Trump’s actions are a sound long-term strategy—but one that is likely to be inconsequential in the short term.
Trump Set to Meet Putin as White House Pushes for a Ceasefire in Ukraine – The Soufan Center
