"Putin has rejected calls for peace negotiations with Kyiv, while Ukrainian drone strikes on russian oil refineries and ports have only strengthened his determination to continue the war. This was reported by Reuters, citing three anonymous sources close to the kremlin", - the “Nastoyashchee Vremya” Telegram channel reported on July 9.
Two of Reuters' sources claim that putin is likely to escalate the war further. One source, who reportedly meets regularly with the russian president, assessed the likelihood of escalation in the coming months as high.
According to another source, putin has "taken a hardline position" in pursuit of his key objective—capturing the part of Donbas that remains under Ukrainian control. The source claims that putin recently reprimanded advisers who proposed a compromise involving a ceasefire along the current front line. These claims cannot be independently verified.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told Reuters that russia is "ready for a peaceful settlement", but is capable of acting independently and continuing the war.
A senior Ukrainian official told the agency that, according to Kyiv's intelligence, putin is preparing not for peace but for new military operations in Ukraine or a possible attack on another European country.
Strikes on oil refineries, ports, and fuel storage facilities have led to an acute fuel shortage in russia. At the same time, according to the source who reportedly meets regularly with putin, Ukraine's successes have only intensified the russian president's anger: control over Donbas is a matter of principle for him, and he "needs some kind of victory".
The report notes that the sources spoke to Reuters after U.S. President Donald Trump stated that putin wants the war to end and that a settlement is "closer than it seems".