Recent attacks in Ukraine may cast doubt on Russian President Vladimir Putin's willingness to reach a peace deal. Nina Khrushcheva, a professor of international affairs at the New School, joins CBS News with her analysis.

Moscow

Russian forces have invaded Ukraine from land, air and sea with strikes causing widespread damage. Global leaders have condemned the move and imposed sanctions.

Ukraine Invasion

Recent discussions have cast doubt on Russian President Vladimir Putin's seriousness about ending the war in Ukraine, as attacks continue on both sides. Professor Nina Khrushcheva noted that while both Russia and Ukraine are engaged in ongoing hostilities, the Kremlin argues that Ukraine is also not seeking peace due to reciprocal attacks.

Negotiations remain stalled over territorial disputes, with Russia insisting on control over regions including Donbass and Crimea, and Ukraine refusing to cede any land. Despite high-profile meetings involving U.S. and European leaders, there appears to be little progress toward a peace agreement, and optimism for a resolution remains low.

Is Putin bluffing on reaching end to Ukraine war?

So these attacks have a lot of people wondering if Mr. Putin was ever serious about ending the war. So let's bring in Professor of International Affairs at the New School in New York City, Nina Khrushcheva. Nina, first of all, good to have you with us here on CBS News 24-7. President Zelensky told President Trump days ago that Mr. Putin would be bluffing. So do these new attacks support what Mr. Zelensky warned about? Well, the attacks are ongoing. It's not new attacks, it's just the attacks that have been happening all the time. And most of the time in the West, the reports on Russian attacks are happening. But also, of course, Ukraine also attacks Russia. And that's how Russians look at it. Of course, we attack because Ukraine attacks us, too. Regardless, I mean, obviously, Putin is an invader, but the war now is going on both sides. So in this sense, the Russians are saying, the Kremlin is saying that Zelensky also doesn't want peace because the attacks are going on the Russian side as well. Well, your great-grandfather is Nikita Khrushchev, and he is said to have wanted peaceful coexistence with the capitalist West. Putin got a red carpet treatment on American soil recently from President Trump. So how do you square the appearance in Alaska with continued bombing in Ukraine? Well, the war is not stopping, I mean, as I said. And one of the demands of Vladimir Zelensky is that there will be a ceasefire and then some peace negotiations. Putin rejects the ceasefire. He says the peace negotiations should start. And then when the peace negotiations are agreed upon, then the war will stop. And so we will have the ceasefire. So we're not squaring this in any way. I think what we're also seeing is Donald Trump, who refuses to kind of provide boots on the ground and essential security guarantees unless Europe is taking the bulk of it, he is—and that's what's so interesting about Alaska's summit—is that he was meeting with a peer. And while there was a summit later on in Washington, D.C., in the Oval Office, with President Zelensky and European leaders, it seemed to be that he was meeting with those who follow him. And I think the optics of it are shocking. And obviously for Putin, this is something that he thinks he can continue because the war is, for now, with American not support, but certainly Donald Trump understanding of the war is going in Putin's direction. And, you know, the sticking point, it's widely reported, seems to be land. Ukraine says they're not going to cede any land. Russia wants land. So understanding all of the history, as you do, what do you see happening? Well, Russia would have to have Donbass. That's the main sticking point. And that's what apparently was agreed upon in Alaska, is that Putin says, well, there are four regions in Crimea. Well, we want Crimea because it's already taken. We want the Donetsk region, the Luhansk region, but then two other regions that Russia has only taken in parts. We may be able—we, the Russians, may be able to negotiate. Vladimir Zelensky says, no, I'm not going to give up Donbass because then it's the road to Kiev. And he's very rightly to be concerned. The point is Putin would have to get Donbass. So he's going to get it one way or another. So I am completely not optimistic about the potential of the peace agreement because so far, even if there is many more conversations, many more meetings happen, they're still as far as they possibly can be. And Putin is not going to lose this war. Nina Kruscheva with The New School in New York City. An honor to have you with us today. Thank you so much.

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Is Putin bluffing on reaching end to Ukraine war?

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Ukraine Invasion