At a UN Security Council meeting convened at Ukraine's initiative after Russia's Oreshnik missile strike on Lviv region, US Deputy Permanent Representative Tami Bruce condemned Russia's actions. She stated that, thanks to President Trump's leadership, the US is closer to a deal than at any point since the war began. However, Russia continues to launch strikes on Ukraine, using missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads and targeting areas near the borders with Poland and NATO.
This statement marked the first official US reaction to Russia’s missile attack on Lviv region. Before this, neither President Donald Trump nor Secretary of State Marco Rubio had addressed the incident. The author notes that, despite Russia's escalation, Washington still hopes for diplomatic agreements with President Putin. However, the Russian side pursues further escalation and continues to threaten Ukraine and its Western partners.
Such developments contradict official claims that a peace deal is near: if it were, Russia would not be launching new strikes or issuing threats. At the same Security Council meeting, Russia’s UN representative Vasily Nebenzya defended Russia’s actions and threatened more attacks, reaffirming Moscow’s commitment to escalation.
The author points to Putin's tactics: while ready to talk to Trump, Putin makes no real moves to end the war, instead using negotiations as a tool for additional pressure. Although US sanctions against Russia have been in place since 2014, Moscow has not halted its aggression; in fact, ongoing negotiations only prompt Putin to increase pressure. The US periodically condemns Russia on the official level, but this has not changed the strategic situation.
The author concludes that Trump’s negotiation initiatives only contribute to further escalation by Russia, which sees the West's willingness to talk as a sign of weakness. According to the analysis, this is one of the reasons for Putin’s persistence and harshness in waging war against Ukraine.