Home World Three years into his war on Ukraine, what does Putin really want?

Three years into his war on Ukraine, what does Putin really want?

Enlarge this image

Russian President Vladimir Putin looks on as he meets with students at the Sirius Educational Center in Sochi on May 19, 2025, after a telephone conversation with US President Donald Trump. Alexander KAZAKOV/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption

Alexander KAZAKOV/Getty Images

Russian President Vladimir Putin looks on as he meets with students at the Sirius Educational Center in Sochi on May 19, 2025, after a telephone conversation with US President Donald Trump.

Alexander KAZAKOV/Getty Images

President Trump wants to make a deal with Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine. Putin says Russia wants to engage in peace talks, but Putin has also been ordering the most widespread and violent aerial attacks on Ukraine in years. This has led Trump to criticize Putin more and more in public — a step that’s been rare over the course of Trump’s two terms in office.

Three years into his war on Ukraine, what does Putin really want? It’s a question leaders around the world are trying to figure out.

To learn more, NPR’s Scott Detrow speaks with Angela Stent, Professor Emeritus at Georgetown University, Senior Fellow at the Brookings institution — a nonpartisan policy organization in Washington DC — and author of the book “Putin’s World: Russia Against the West and With the Rest.

For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Email us at [email protected].

Sponsor Message

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Must Read

Jacinda Ardern reflects on a career focused on the power of kindness

Source: NPR Credit: NPR In 2017, Jacinda Ardern, the former Prime Minister of New Zealand, was sitting in her bathroom anxiously anticipating the news of two potentially life-changing events. One, the election results that could make her the youngest female head of government in the world. And the other, a pregnancy test that could not

Britain gets a defense boost aimed at sending a message to Russia, and to Trump

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivers his speech during a visit to the BAE Systems'Govan facility, in Glasgow, Scotland on Monday. Andy Buchanan/AFP via AP hide caption toggle caption Andy Buchanan/AFP via AP LONDON — The United Kingdom will build new nuclear-powered attack submarines, get its army ready to fight a war in Europe and

Another sign of Syria’s rebuilding: The Damascus stock exchange opens again

Syrian Finance Minister Mohammed Yisr Barnieh, center, attends the opening ceremony at the Damascus Securities Exchange in Damascus, Syria, Monday, June 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki) Omar Sanadiki/AP hide caption toggle caption Omar Sanadiki/AP DAMASCUS — Trading resumed on the Damascus Securities Exchange on Monday after a six-month closure, as Syria 's new leaders attempt

Russia and Ukraine Meet Following Massive Attacks

Enlarge this image In this image taken from video released June 1, 2025, by a source in the Ukrainian Security Service shows a Ukrainian drone striking Russian planes deep in Russia's territory. AP/Ukrainian Security Service hide caption toggle caption AP/Ukrainian Security Service In this image taken from video released June 1, 2025, by a source

Mount Etna erupts, shooting a massive ash cloud into the sky and raising alerts

Smoke rises from the crater of the Etna volcano as it erupts, on Mount Etna near Catania, Italy, on Monday. A huge plume of ash, gas and rock spewed forth from Europe's highest active volcano. Giuseppe Distefano/AFP via Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Giuseppe Distefano/AFP via Getty Images Italy's Mount Etna produced a spectacularly