Russian President Vladimir Putin is lining up a new offensive to end the war his way, retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Blaine Holt said on Newsmax Friday.
"It does look like we're starting to lose a good faith effort out of Moscow on the talks that they've been engaging in, and they've been moving the goalposts," Holt told "Newsline." "And so that's the very dangerous thing. Here's where I think Russia is right."
"Militarily, they're winning on the ground. Once that mud dries, they are set for an offensive. And I don't think that they want the entire country because Russia would be involved in a counterinsurgency for the end of time. But I think that they're going to move to what their final end game goals are," he added.
"And the best that the Trump administration is going to do is try to continue to exert leverage. But the leverage that we have with Russia is more about economic leverage in keeping them boxed out of the world economy, the European economy."
Trump earlier this week said he believes Russia wants to end its war with Ukraine but suggested Moscow could be "dragging their feet" after the Kremlin disputed accounts of agreements made with the U.S.
"I think that Russia wants to see an end to it, but it could be they're dragging their feet. I've done it over the years," the president told Newsmax in an interview that aired Tuesday night.
"I think Russia would like to see it end, and I think [Ukraine's President Volodymyr] Zelenskyy would like to see it end at this point," Trump said.
The Trump administration, Ukraine, and Russia on Wednesday agreed to a limited ceasefire in which the key details, including what was covered and how it will start, were disputed by the warring sides, indicating the road to a complete truce will be long and mired with contention.
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Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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