Three sources close to the Kremlin have told Reuters that Russian President Vladimir Putin has rejected calls for peace negotiations with Kyiv, and that recent Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian oil refineries and ports have strengthened his determination to continue the war. According to two sources who spoke on condition of anonymity, Putin is likely to intensify the conflict, which is now entering its fifth year. One source who regularly meets the Russian president described the possibility of further escalation in the coming months as “very high”. The comments come as US President Donald Trump said on Monday that Putin wants to end the war and that a solution to the crisis is “closer than people think”. Last week, Trump held separate phone calls with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He also met Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the NATO summit on Wednesday, where the Ukrainian leader said the two sides discussed “ideas to bring peace closer”.
