At the front, Vladimir Putin's criminal army is not achieving the desired successes. Even when it makes some progress, it is only a millimeter. Faced with this situation, the Russian dictator is expanding the war by targeting civilians and infrastructure. Bridges in Kiev are being attacked in broad daylight. Russia has fought like this in Chechnya and Syria - without any mercy for the civilian population. According to the UN, the number of civilian casualties in Ukraine in the first eight months of this year is 55 percent higher than in the same period in 2025. Putin's goal is to bring Ukraine to its knees. His strategy is terror.
Ukraine faces difficult months ahead. Donald Trump, meanwhile, faces midterm elections. His war on Iran has not been an easy ride so far. Tehran's mullahs blocked the Strait of Hormuz, thus preventing the movement of ships carrying oil. This caused a massive increase in the price of oil derivatives almost everywhere in the world. This week, Trump called the Kremlin and asked Putin for oil. The Kremlin boss was immediately generous. Trump partially lifted sanctions. According to Trump, 300,000 tons of diesel will be made available in the US and on the world market. Trump's hope is clear: to win the election with Putin's oil.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who was once brutally ousted from the White House, criticized the Trump-Putin oil deal. Talks between Ukrainian and American delegations in Florida were cut short.
As expected, Trump also exploded. He demanded that Ukraine elect a new president. “I suggest they find a new leader who is able to make a deal,” Trump told reporters at the White House. And, “damn it,” he added, Zelensky should stop the attacks on Russian refineries. Trump did not ask Putin to stop the attacks, nor to start peace negotiations. Zelensky has shown a willingness to talk, Putin has not.
A change in the Ukrainian head of state is not possible, since, according to the Constitution, elections are excluded in times of war. But Trump is not worried about that.
A year ago, Trump encouraged Ukraine to intensify attacks on Russian refineries. The goal was to weaken the Russian economy in order to force Putin to sit down at the negotiating table. The Kremlin leader did not back down, among other things because Trump's policy towards Ukraine is undecided.
Trump has already suspended intelligence sharing with Kiev. Now, the US administration is threatening to do so again.