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Putin ramps up attacks as Ukraine flies blind

March 09, 2025
Tasha Kheiriddin
​People stand at the site of an apartment building hit by a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in the town of Dobropillia, Donetsk region, Ukraine, on March 8, 2025.
People stand at the site of an apartment building hit by a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in the town of Dobropillia, Donetsk region, Ukraine, on March 8, 2025.
REUTERS/Nadia Karpova

Russian forces bombarded Ukraine for two consecutive nights this weekend, killing over 25 people in Donetsk and Kharkiv. Moscow also retook three towns in Kursk after troops crawled for miles through a gas pipeline and staged a surprise attack.

Why the increased aggression? US President Donald Trump’s recent moves — halting US intelligence sharing, freezing aid, and dressing down Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office — have emboldened Russian President Vladimir Putin. And while peace talks are set to resume in Jeddah this week, the list of American demands has shifted in Russia’s favor. Trump is reportedly pressuring Zelensky to concede territory, hold elections, and step down as leader.

In response to Russia’s latest salvos, Trump did post that he is “strongly considering large-scale banking sanctions, Banking Sanctions, Sanctions, and Tariffs on Russia until a Cease Fire and FINAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ON PEACE IS REACHED.” However, former Trump advisor John Boltoncalled it a “totally hollow” threat, while key Trump advisor Elon Musk has called for additional sanctions not on Russia, but on Ukrainian oligarchs, and suggested that the US walk away from NATO.

What will Europe do? After announcing additional EC defense spending of $870 billion last Thursday,European leaders will meetagain on March 20-21 to discuss next steps. According to European Council President Antonio Costa, this could include pledges of $16 billion more military aid to Ukraine in addition to the $32 billion already committed this year. It’s still far short of the $70 billion given by the US, however, which is now paused.

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