The Kremlin’s Imperial Drive: Why Russia Won’t Stop at Ukraine
Despite frequent assertions that Moscow’s war aims are limited to Ukraine, mounting evidence suggests otherwise. As Petro Oleshchuk, a political scientist and expert at the United Ukraine Think Tank, argues, Russia’s aggression is part of a broader imperial project – one that threatens the entire European security architecture.
Oleshchuk warns that the notion of a defensive Russia is a dangerous misconception. "This is not a local conflict – it’s a strategic campaign to undermine NATO and redraw Europe’s borders," he stated. According to him, the clearest indication of this came in December 2021, when the Kremlin issued sweeping demands to the United States and NATO: a halt to alliance expansion, the withdrawal of NATO troops from Eastern Europe, and restrictions on missile deployments. "This ultimatum was not addressed to Ukraine, but to the United States," Oleshchuk emphasized.
Concerns escalated after recent comments by Steve Witkoff, Donald Trump’s special envoy, who claimed in an interview with Tucker Carlson that "Putin has no intention of going beyond Ukraine." The remark drew sharp criticism from both Ukrainian and Western observers. Oleshchuk added that such statements reflect either a fundamental misreading of the situation or a deliberate political strategy rooted in misguided appeasement.
Meanwhile, Russian officials continue to signal expansive ambitions. For instance, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov recently stated that NATO should have been dissolved – a sentiment that reflects Moscow’s deep-seated hostility toward the Western security order.
Oleshchuk draws particular attention to the analysis presented in a recent Politico article which delves into the multifaceted reasons why Putin has little incentive to bring the ongoing war to an end, including the following.
1. War legitimizes his authoritarian rule.
2. Putin thrives on militaristic displays.
3. The Russian economy is tightly linked to military activity.
4. Social benefits help maintain public loyalty.
5. Abrupt change could destabilize his regime.
6. Putin exploits the war to blackmail the West.
7. His objective is not peace, but a symbolic or strategic victory.
"Putin doesn’t need a peace agreement," Oleshchuk stressed. “What he needs is perpetual conflict to justify internal repression and external aggression alike", the analyst added.
Kremlin's propaganda now openly discusses territorial claims not only against Ukraine, but also against Moldova, Georgia, the Baltic states, and parts of Central Asia and Poland. "Putin views compromise as weakness," Oleshchuk explained. Russia’s aggression is neither spontaneous nor emotional – it is a calculated strategy. So the only effective response, Oleshchuk argues, is to increase economic, military, and political pressure on Russia.
For more insights, read the full article on The Gaze: “Why Russia May Advance Further Into Europe If Not Stopped.”