What does Russia want?

"In the broader scope of the yearslong public back and forth between officials in the U.S., Ukraine and Russia, some analysts say Putin is likely to treat the latest warning by Trump as little more than a ploy by the new president to shore up his base and demonstrate the tough stance he has promised in regard to U.S. adversaries.

"Putin sees these statements as part of a political game. He doesn't take them seriously," said Tatiana Stanovaya, a Paris-based political scientist who maintains contacts with people close to the Kremlin. "He's ready for any scenario and has no illusions that a deal will come quick."

Stanovaya argues that the strain on Russia's economy, while a concern for Putin, will have little effect on his calculus vis-a-vis Ukraine.

For the Russian president, who has been in power for 25 years, the conflict is a historic opportunity to unify the two Orthodox Christian countries and arrest what he has long denounced as a creeping Western expansion into Russia's backyard.

"Of course Putin wants to stop the conflict, but he wants it exclusively on Russian terms," Stanovaya said. "The conflict in Ukraine is a way to bring the West to the negotiating table about a Yalta 2.0."” [1]  

1. World News: Russia Spurns Trump's Push on Conflict Talks --- Moscow believes it has the resources and manpower to keep up the fight. Luxmoore, Matthew; Grove, Thomas.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 24 Jan 2025: A6.