Recent US intelligence assessments continue to warn that Vladimir Putin intends to capture all of Ukraine and potentially reclaim parts of Europe once controlled by the former Soviet Union, according to six sources familiar with the reports.
These findings sharply contrast with public statements from Donald Trump and his peace negotiators, who have suggested that Moscow wants to end the conflict. One source said the most recent intelligence report dates to late September.
Moreover, the assessments directly contradict Putin’s repeated claims that Russia poses no threat to Europe. US intelligence agencies have maintained the same view since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. European governments and intelligence services largely share that assessment.
“The intelligence has always shown that Putin wants more,” said Mike Quigley, a Democratic member of the House Intelligence Committee. He added that Poland and the Baltic states remain deeply concerned about being future targets.
U.S. intelligence warns Putin intends to seize all of Ukraine and reclaim parts of Europe once under Soviet control — Reuters
— NewsWire (@NewsWire_US) December 20, 2025Russia currently controls around 20% of Ukraine’s territory, including most of Luhansk and Donetsk, parts of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, and Crimea. Putin claims all of these regions as Russian territory.
At the same time, Trump is reportedly pressing Kyiv to withdraw from the remaining Ukrainian-held areas of Donetsk as part of a proposed peace framework. However, Volodymyr Zelenskiy and most Ukrainians strongly oppose any territorial concessions.
A White House official said Trump’s team had made “tremendous progress” toward ending the war and claimed a peace deal was closer than ever. The official did not address the intelligence warnings.
Neither the CIA nor the Office of the Director of National Intelligence commented on the matter. Russia’s embassy also declined to respond. Meanwhile, Trump’s negotiators, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, continue discussions with Ukrainian, Russian, and European officials on a proposed peace framework.
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Earlier this week in Berlin, US, Ukrainian, and European negotiators reached broad agreement on potential security guarantees for Ukraine. These guarantees would aim to deter future Russian aggression after a peace deal.
According to diplomats, the plan could include a European-led security force, intelligence support from Washington, and US-backed air patrols over Ukraine. However, major disagreements remain. Some sources say the guarantees depend on Ukraine ceding territory, while others insist alternative options remain under review.
Zelenskiy expressed caution, questioning whether the proposed guarantees would actually protect Ukraine in the long term. Russia, meanwhile, has consistently rejected any deployment of foreign troops on Ukrainian soil.
*With additional information incorporated from Reuters news reporting.
