The Kremlin’s Greatest Fear Is Peace: How Putin Is Preparing a Foothold Against Europe While Ignoring the Problems Facing Russians
- Expert Oleksandr Demchenko points out that Russia is using the war to cover up its economic crisis and views Ukraine as a military springboard for destabilizing Europe.
- The Kremlin fears negotiations with Europe and is merely pretending to engage in talks due to internal problems, while the war has become the sole raison d’être of Putin’s regime.
In an exclusive analytical report for 24 Channel, expert Oleksandr Demchenko explains why Russia is terrified of Europe’s presence at the negotiating table and notes that, in reality, the dictator needs Ukrainian territories only as a military springboard for further offensives and to destabilize European countries.
Russia is increasingly talking about negotiations, yet its propagandists continue to threaten Europe, and the Kremlin’s demands on NATO remain unchanged. Behind this contradiction lies not Vladimir Putin’s unwillingness to end the war, but an attempt to buy time amid mounting problems within Russia itself. Damaged oil refineries, financial instability, export difficulties, and crumbling infrastructure are gradually exposing the weaknesses of a system that the Kremlin is trying to portray as unshakable.
Speaking exclusively to 24 Channel , journalist Oleksandr Demchenko explained why Putin is feigning a willingness to negotiate, what is happening with the Russian economy, why the Kremlin needs Ukrainian territories – which it is itself turning into scorched earth – and whether Moscow is truly preparing for aggression against Europe.
What fear of Moscow is revealed by its stance on NATO
Russian propaganda continues to broadcast aggressive rhetoric regarding Europe’s participation in the negotiation process. As Oleksandr Demchenko notes, statements by Russian mouthpieces – in particular Vladimir Solovyov – that “Europe is a side of the conflict” indicate serious concern on the part of the Kremlin.
If Moscow were truly seeking a truce or a ceasefire, the media narrative would be radically different: propagandists would already be preparing the public for peace, rather than threatening the West. Instead, Russia is using the pretense of a negotiation process solely because of its own internal problems, trying to save face in an extremely poor game.
The failure of the Kremlin’s geopolitical gambles is becoming increasingly evident. Putin had hoped to play the “Trump card,” but his greed and ultimatums have led to a waste of time. Currently, the American system of checks and balances is working: Congress has been reshuffled, and U.S. rhetoric has grown tougher. Russian ships are once again turning back in the Atlantic Ocean, reminiscent of the crisis scenarios of the 1990s.
Analysis by Demchenko: Watch the video
How the Kremlin Is Preparing for War Against Europe
One of the key questions is: Why does Putin want Ukrainian territories if Russia is turning them into uninhabitable zones? Testimonies from residents of occupied Donetsk confirm the catastrophic situation: the lack of water, electricity, communications, and constant danger is forcing even those loyal to Russia to consider moving away. A similar crisis is unfolding in Crimea.
According to Demchenko, the Kremlin is completely indifferent to the fate of the local population. Ukrainian territories are needed solely as a military staging ground. Russia is creating a scorched-earth policy and a network of filtration camps, the exact number of which remains unknown.
Moscow’s ambitions are growing: its demands for the withdrawal of NATO troops from European countries remain unchanged. Russia is not afraid of an attack by the Alliance; it is itself preparing for aggression in order to regain control over territories from the era of Soviet occupation.
To destabilize Europe, the Kremlin has mobilized every possible resource. This includes not only intelligence services and propaganda, but also the oligarchy, energy blackmail, and networks of agents. Assets belonging to individuals close to Putin, such as Igor Sechin, and political strategists are working to destabilize European elites. Putin’s goal is to weaken Europe, because under any other scenario, Russia would inevitably lose.
Incidentally, the Russian dictator’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, stated that verbal assurances regarding No NATO expansion to the East are not enough for Russia. Russia demands a written commitment that the Alliance will not expand.
Why the Russian Economy Is Falling Apart at the Seams
Behind the facade of statements about stability, the Russian economy and infrastructure are falling apart at the seams. Demchenko cites specific facts that are forcing Putin to seek ways to take tactical pauses:
- First, Russian oil refineries are not merely suffering damage, but burn to the ground. Ukrainian ballistic missiles are successfully reaching Russia’s borders, depleting the Russian air defense system, which is critically short of munitions and launchers.
- Second, Russia’s financial system is in a state of hidden crisis.
For instance, the Central Bank of Russia suddenly identified 7 trillion rubles in non-performing loans out of a total debt of 9 trillion. Considering that Russia’s entire budget amounts to approximately 40–45 trillion, one-third of these funds are problematic. Official statistics do not stand up to scrutiny: Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina is unable to explain to the State Duma the discrepancy between the official inflation rate of 4% and the discount rate of 14–16%.
Added to this is the global blockade of Russian exports. The Black Sea and the Sea of Azov are no longer safe logistics routes for Russia. Traditional energy buyers are turning away: Turkey is cutting back on oil and gas purchases, while China is refusing to finance new pipelines, demanding the resources virtually for free.
How Putin Is Proving He Doesn’t Care About Russians
Putin’s biggest problem is that he has nothing to offer Russians if the war ends. If we imagine a hypothetical signing of a peace agreement and the creation of a new security architecture, the very next day the Russian dictator would find himself face-to-face with a catastrophic reality.
Without the war, the regime will be unable to justify the lack of elections, freedoms, investment, and money. Russia will face the consequences of massive economic crisis, the need to maintain a huge army, and the problem of hundreds of thousands of former prisoners returning from the front. Already, Russia is facing a labor shortage of half a million people, including a critical shortage of teachers.
Putin shows utter indifference toward his own citizens. He has redeployedone-third of the air defense systems from Moscow to Valdai for his own protection, ignoring the fires in St. Petersburg and the attacks on the Belgorod, Kursk, and Voronezh regions.
To cling to power, he is willing to sacrifice millions of Russians and even steal the pension savings of 71 million citizens by transferring them to dubious funds, since pensioners won’t stage a revolt, unlike the oligarchs.
That is precisely why war remains the only tool for postponing the collapse of the system. Any attempts at escalation or the pretense of negotiations are merely a reaction to the countdown that has already begun for the Russian regime.