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Putin Accused of Using Peace Talks to Prepare New Offensive in Ukraine
As the war in Uk
raine grinds into its third year, top U.S. lawmakers are sounding the alarm: Russian President Vladimir Putin is allegedly using diplomatic peace efforts as a smokescreen while preparing for a renewed and potentially devastating military offensive. The warning, issued by two senior U.S. senators following high-level meetings in Europe, has injected new urgency into calls for harsher sanctions and sustained Western support for Kyiv.
U.S. Senators Issue Stark Warning After Ukraine Visit
In a joint statement issued from Paris, Senators Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) declared that “the next two weeks may determine the future of Ukraine” and urged immediate action from U.S. allies. The senators had recently returned from a diplomatic trip to Kyiv and Paris, where they met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and French President Emmanuel Macron.
According to the senators, President Putin is “stalling at the peace table” and “buying time to prepare another major offensive.” They emphasized that the international community must not fall for what they called “Putin’s peace trap.”
“The idea that he wants peace is a joke,” Senator Graham told reporters in Paris. “He wants territory. He wants time. And he’ll use the negotiating table to get both.”
A New Russian Offensive on the Horizon?
U.S. and NATO intelligence sources, according to European defense briefings, have picked up signs of increased Russian military movements near the eastern Ukrainian frontlines. Satellite imagery suggests a build-up of artillery, air defense systems, and mobilized reserve units in Donetsk and Luhansk.
The Ukrainian military believes Russia may be planning a large-scale summer offensive aimed at capturing more of the Donbas region, possibly extending operations into Kharkiv. Moscow has neither confirmed nor denied these reports, maintaining that its actions are “defensive in nature.”
Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov recently told Ukrainska Pravda, “We believe the Russians are not serious about peace. Every time we talk, they regroup and fire more missiles.”
Ceasefire Demands Raise Eyebrows
Despite expressing conditional openness to a ceasefire, Putin has laid out terms that Ukrainian officials say are unacceptable: Ukraine must formally withdraw from four Russian-occupied regions—Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson—and declare them part of the Russian Federation. In effect, Putin is demanding Ukraine cede over 15% of its territory as a prerequisite for “peace.”
Western analysts have warned that agreeing to such terms would amount to legitimizing Russia’s land-grab under threat of force.
“It’s appeasement, plain and simple,” said Fiona Hill, former senior director for Russia at the U.S. National Security Council. “And history has shown that appeasement only fuels further aggression.”
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens
The senators also highlighted the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Russian-occupied areas. Over 20,000 Ukrainian children have reportedly been abducted and forcibly relocated to Russia, where they are being placed in state-run institutions and “re-educated,” according to the United Nations and Human Rights Watch.
Entire towns, particularly in the Zaporizhzhia region, have been flattened by relentless shelling. The World Food Programme reports that nearly 4.5 million people in eastern Ukraine are now facing acute food insecurity.
Blumenthal stressed, “We are witnessing war crimes in real time—deportations, mass killings, the targeting of civilians. The world must not look away.”
NATO and EU Stepping Up—but Slowly
French President Emmanuel Macron assured the senators that Europe is ready to stand firm, but acknowledged that internal EU disagreements continue to slow aid and weapons deliveries. Macron did not rule out sending French military trainers to Ukraine in the near future, a move that would mark a significant escalation.
Germany has pledged an additional €5 billion in military aid, including Leopard 2 tanks and Iris-T air defense systems, but critics argue that these commitments are often delayed or symbolic.
Meanwhile, NATO has announced a special summit in Brussels for mid-June, where additional commitments to Ukraine’s defense are expected.
Will U.S. Resolve Hold?
With the 2024 U.S. presidential election now past and a divided Congress taking shape, uncertainty looms over Washington’s long-term commitment. While President Joe Biden has continued to push for emergency aid packages to Ukraine, some Republican lawmakers allied with former President Donald Trump are skeptical.
Graham, a Trump ally himself, urged his party to support tougher sanctions—not just on Russia, but also on countries still buying its oil and gas, such as China, India, and Turkey.
“We need to hit Putin where it hurts: energy revenues. If you’re buying Russian oil, you’re funding this war.”
The Clock Is Ticking
With Russian troops reportedly massing and peace talks expected to resume in Istanbul under Turkish mediation, the next two weeks could define the course of the war. Ukraine’s military is on high alert, while Western allies scramble to deliver weapons and ammunition.
Whether Putin will escalate further or truly seek compromise remains uncertain—but few in Kyiv believe the latter.