The Telegraph columnist Hamish de Bretton-Gordon predicts that 2026 could be one of the worst years for Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, as there is a high probability that the United States will be able to end the war against Ukraine on very unfavorable terms for the Kremlin.
Points of attention
- The U.S. President's openness about a peace agreement being nearly ready has caused panic in Russia, hinting at tough times ahead for Putin.
- Despite efforts to manipulate the situation, Kremlin's options seem limited as the possibility of Western troops in Ukraine looms, signifying a potential setback for Putin.
Trump can outsmart Putin
Recently, the US president announced that the peace agreement on Ukraine is 95 percent ready, which caused panic in the Kremlin.
The Russian dictator realizes that his only remaining trump card is to drive a wedge between Trump and Zelensky.
However, now the head of the White House is noticeably less susceptible to Moscow's manipulations than he was a few weeks ago.
According to Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, this is indeed leading Ukraine towards a peace that, while not ideal for Kyiv, is much worse for Moscow.
According to the expert, it is very important that the US and NATO security guarantees, designed for 15 years, actually represent NATO's protection.
Also frightening for the Kremlin is Trump's open discussion of the presence of Western troops on the territory of Ukraine:
This is the worst-case scenario for Putin. No amount of manipulation, even at the peak of the Kremlin's propaganda machine, could disguise such an outcome as anything other than defeat, the expert emphasizes.
