Putin may seek to end war against Ukraine by mid-2027 — The Atlantic

Facing the prospect that a U.S. president more favorably disposed toward Ukraine than Donald Trump could assume office in 2029, the Kremlin may prioritize securing an advantageous agreement with the current White House administration, the outlet wrote. Such an arrangement could incorporate most provisions of Trump’s 28-point peace framework, but without demanding the withdrawal of Ukrainian Defense Forces from territories now under sovereign Ukrainian control.

This trajectory may allow Putin to repair bilateral relations with Washington throughout the remainder of Trump’s term — aiming to secure sanctions relief, restore Russian membership in the G7, and indirectly weaken NATO through a strategic alignment with the sitting U.S. leader, the author emphasized.

Bloomberg reported on Aug. 26, citing informed sources, that Moscow now demonstrates no willingness to halt hostilities, but is instead preparing to escalate ballistic missile strikes against Kyiv, specifically targeting the capital's downtown core.

According to Bloomberg's interlocutors, international economic sanctions and Ukrainian deep strikes against Russian oil refineries have not yet persuaded Putin to end the invasion.

According to the Ukrainian Air Force Command, Russian occupation forces launched a mass overnight assault beginning at 6 p.m. on Aug. 26, employing Oniks anti-ship cruise missiles, Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles, and 258 attack drones of Shahed (roughly one-third jet-powered), Herbera, S8000 Banderol types, alongside Parodiya decoy drones.

As of 9 a.m., Ukrainian air defense and electronic warfare units intercepted or neutralized one Oniks anti-ship missile, seven Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles, three S8000 Banderol drones, and 222 strike UAVs across southern, northern, eastern, and central operational zones.