Putin’s Delusion of Outsmarting America Threatens Ukraine Peace — And U.S. National Security

Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to wage a nearly four-year-old war on Ukraine, not out of resolved pragmatism but from a dangerous delusion that he can outwit the United States in peace negotiations. According to Kaupo Rosin, head of Estonia’s foreign intelligence service, Moscow is merely playing for time rather than seeking meaningful cooperation with Washington to end the conflict. Why Does Putin Still Believe He Can Win? Putin’s fixation on controlling all of Ukraine remains unshaken despite heavy costs to Russia’s military and economy. Intelligence shows that the Russian president receives overly optimistic reports from his officials—reports that misrepresent...