ISW assesses whether putin will make concessions after Trump cuts russia's deadline
The kremlin-cultivated support for military aggression in Ukraine among the russian population will make it much more difficult for russian dictator vladimir putin to present any peace agreement without achieving the goals of the invasion as a victory. Therefore, putin is unlikely to make any concessions for the sake of a peace agreement amid the shortening of the deadline by the United States.
This is stated in the russian Offensive Campaign Assessment by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) as of July 28, 2025, the Ukrainian News agency reports.
On July 28, russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, the day US President Donald Trump announced that he had reduced the deadline for russia to reach a peace agreement with Ukraine to 10-12 days instead of the 50 days announced on July 14, said that russia had "no other choice" but to start a war in Ukraine, since russia was supposed to protect the russian-speaking citizens of Ukraine.
Analysts have stressed that this is a typical argument used by russian officials to justify aggression against Ukraine.
In addition, Lavrov stated that russia must "prevent Ukraine from joining NATO" and achieve Western recognition of the annexation of Ukrainian territories. ISW noted that these statements reinforce the kremlin's commitment to its military goals in Ukraine, including the "denazification", demilitarization and neutrality of Ukraine, to the russian population.
And at the same time, the commitment of russian society to achieving russia's military goals, which the kremlin has persistently cultivated, will make it much more difficult for russian leader vladimir putin to present any peace agreement that does not meet his stated goals as a victory to his domestic audience.
"Putin is unlikely to make any concessions in his war aims unless he is forced to do so by significant Ukrainian battlefield victories, as any negotiated end to the war that does not achieve all of Putin's objectives would call into question the success, and, potentially, wisdom of Russia's military campaign in Ukraine," the ISW concluded.
As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, before cutting short russia's ultimatum, Trump expressed his disappointment with russian leader vladimir putin.
Recall that on July 14, Trump announced a 50-day deadline for russia to reach a peace agreement with Ukraine, after which he would be ready to impose tough economic measures.
Trump also said that russian dictator vladimir putin constantly talks about concluding trade agreements with the United States. At the same time, he noted that the aggressor state russia could be very rich, but "spends everything on war and killing people." According to him, he is not interested in talking to putin anymore.