Ukraine is basically Putin’s white whale. This is what he wants, and he’s not going to stop until he gets it, or until he’s convinced that he can’t get it”

Nate Reynolds

"Ukraine is basically Putin’s white whale. This is what he wants, and he’s not going to stop until he gets it, or until he’s convinced that he can’t get it” said: Nate Reynolds, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and former Russia director at the National Security Council.

Reynolds was quoted saying this in an analysis by Robyn Dixon and Catherine Belton published in today's Washington Post. 

Russia is sticking to maximalist goals in the conflict and has not been open to the compromises needed for a Trump-led peace agreement. “Part of the reason that Russia is unwilling to bend reflects the fact that Ukraine is basically Putin’s white whale. This is what he wants, and he’s not going to stop until he gets it, or until he’s convinced that he can’t get it,” said Nate Reynolds, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and former Russia director at the National Security Council.

At times, he said, Russia seemed to struggle to get its message through to the Trump administration.

“The Russians, to some extent, probably have been surprised by a couple of things. One, that they can’t get the U.S. to understand what they’re asking for, and two, that they can’t get the United States to accept it,” he said. “Putin and his advisers keep coming out of these meetings with U.S. interlocutors, who then highlight what seem to be misunderstandings, frankly, about what the Russian demands are.”

Recent summits in Anchorage and Washington over Ukraine’s future revealed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s overplayed hand in seeking a favorable resolution to the ongoing conflict. Despite a chance to leverage his rapport with U.S. President Donald Trump, Putin’s inflexible stance and insistence on military victory have stalled progress. Russia’s continued obstacles, including Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s demand for a veto over Ukraine’s security arrangements, underscore Putin’s reluctance to align with the White House’s push for a swift resolution. While Putin secured a temporary reprieve from tougher U.S. sanctions by persuading Trump to prioritize a long-term peace deal, the subsequent Washington summit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders reaffirmed strong support for Ukraine’s independence. This shift places pressure on Putin to engage directly with Zelensky, a move Russia resists, citing the need for pre-negotiated terms that favor Moscow’s maximalist goals, including Ukraine’s capitulation. Analysts note Putin’s pursuit of Ukraine as a personal obsession, viewing it as central to restoring Russia’s global influence and reversing the Soviet Union’s Cold War losses. However, Moscow’s demands for territorial concessions and control over Ukraine’s sovereignty have been rejected by U.S. officials, highlighting a disconnect in U.S.-Russia talks. As Russia remains confident in a battlefield victory, the prospect of a quick peace deal fades, with experts warning that complex issues could delay resolution for months or years, leaving Putin’s strategic ambitions at risk.

Read the full Washington Post article here.