Putin’s War Won’t Stop Unless We Make Him

Описание: Russia’s war on Ukraine is poised to stretch well into 2026, with no ceasefire in sight, warns George Barros, a top analyst at the Institute for the Study of War. In a detailed interview with Independence Avenue Media, Barros outlines the widening gap between battlefield realities and Western strategic planning, urging a sharper U.S. and allied response to avert an even larger conflict.

Barros says the recent delay in weapons shipments may not have changed the tactical map, but it exposed a lack of consistency that undercuts Ukraine’s ability to plan counteroffensives. The Kremlin, he argues, is wagering it can outlast Western resolve – not through military superiority, but through erosion of Western political patience and credibility. He argues that consistency, timing, and clarity are everything as it comes to military Ukrainian planning.

The Russian summer offensive, while slow-moving, continues to grind forward at great human and economic cost. Russia’s current force generation model – recruiting tens of thousands of men from the country’s poorest regions monthly with financial incentives –is unsustainable, Barros argues. Yet, without decisive Western policy to force Putin into difficult choices, the Kremlin may remain unchecked in its slow-burn campaign.

Barros draws parallels to the late 1930s, warning that the world is on the brink of a far larger war. He points to a growing alignment between Russia, China, and Iran – states bent on reshaping the global order – and urges Western leaders to see the conflict in Ukraine not as a regional war, but as a frontline in a systemic confrontation. “A larger scale war is on the horizon, and we need to act decisively to deter it,” he says, otherwise the West may be forced into a conflict on terms it didn’t choose.

The interview was recorded on July 9, 2025.

00:00 Teaser
00:37 Introduction
01:01 Navigating the Battlefield: U.S. Support for Ukraine
04:24 Defensive vs Offensive Weapons
06:18 Russia's Summer Offensive
07:51 Manpower and Mobilization: Russia's Sustainability Challenges
11:54 We should Force Putin to Make Difficult Choices
14:10 The Impact of Iran on Russia's Military Strategy
16:10 The War Will Continue for a Long Time
18:30 A World on the Brink of War?

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