Russian hardliners are stepping up pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to escalate the war in Ukraine and confront the West more aggressively, as new diplomatic efforts point to possible progress towards a ceasefire, the Daily Express reports.
This week's talks in Geneva reportedly produced some significant progress in some respects, fueling cautious optimism that Moscow and Kiev may be moving closer to ending hostilities. US officials said both sides agreed to brief their leaders and continue dialogue with a view to a peace agreement. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that the discussions on the military component are approaching a concrete framework, especially regarding the monitoring mechanisms that would be implemented immediately after a possible ceasefire.
In parallel, influential voices of the pro-war hardline in Russia are calling for a radical change in direction.
Among them is Aleksandr Dughin, the ultra-nationalist philosopher dubbed the Kremlin ideologue. Dughin publicly argued that any peace without a decisive Russian victory would be tantamount to failure. He warned that Putin risks “defeat” if he accepts a cessation of hostilities under current conditions and said the current war strategy “doesn't work”.
“Dreams of peace without victory are not only naive, they are criminal.” Dughin stated, arguing that Russia's only way out of the war was to inflict a crushing defeat on its adversaries, citing Russia's “destiny” in this regard. He called for a new wave of forced mobilization and the use of “special weapons”, including the Oresnik missile system capable of carrying a nuclear payload
In controversial statements, Dughin suggested extreme measures, including kidnapping Zelenskiy, to “shock the enemy”. He also proposed exploiting new documents from the Jeffrey Epstein file to compromise Western leaders and suggested supplying nuclear weapons to Iran and Yemen's Houthi rebels.
Currently, Putin's war plan “it doesn't work – let's do it differently. But we must not be left behind. Unfortunately, we are a little behind”, he said in rare criticism.
“Let's act proactively at least in some areas. Even if we make a mistake, if everything happens quickly, we will correct the mistake. We will manage. At this moment, we need to shock the enemy. For example, to kidnap Zelenski.”
At the same time, he asked the Kremlin to issue an “unthinkable ultimatum” regarding the deployment of nuclear weapons in Europe.
The remarks come after Putin's public reappearance following a 13-day absence that fueled speculation about his condition.
Despite bellicose rhetoric, diplomatic efforts continue. Although Russia has not publicly renounced its territorial claims to the Donbas region — claims considered unacceptable by Kiev — some sources indicate that the talks could include the creation of a demilitarized zone in the Donbas, administered by a mixed civilian structure made up of Russian and Ukrainian representatives.
Zelenskiy warned, however, that major differences remain, particularly over territories and Ukraine's relationship with NATO. He stressed that any discussions regarding Ukraine's future within the Alliance must be held directly with Kyiv.
“For me, it is important that our potential place in NATO is discussed with us. Not just with the Russians — with us. Because it concerns usZelensky said.
Meanwhile, the fighting continues on the ground. In an overnight operation, Ukrainian forces launched drone strikes inside Russian territory, hitting an oil depot in the Pskov region and damaging a power plant in Belgorod, leaving thousands of residents without electricity and heat. Russia has targeted infrastructure in Ukraine's Kharkiv region, cutting off electricity in the city of Lozeva.
