As The Washington Post columnist George Will writes, Russian President Vladimir Putin has found himself in a kind of dead end – a situation where every other decision only worsens the situation.
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The author reminds that just 15 months ago, US President Donald Trump urged Ukraine to effectively accept defeat, telling Volodymyr Zelensky: “You don’t have the cards.” At that time, many people thought Ukraine would not be able to resist the much stronger Russia for long. However, the course of the war showed otherwise.
One of the symbols of the Kremlin’s problems became this year’s May 9 parade in Moscow. Due to the threat of Ukrainian drones, it was shorter than usual, and fewer soldiers and military equipment participated.
The article states that since the beginning of 2026, Russia has occupied only about 0.04% of Ukraine’s territory, and in April even lost more territory than it gained.
Meanwhile, Russian losses on the front continue to grow. According to The Economist, about 3% of pre-war draft-age men have been killed or wounded since the start of the war.
The author also draws attention to the composition of the Russian army. He quotes a Russian prisoner of war interviewed by The Wall Street Journal, a former drug addict who was sent to the front after imprisonment.
“He and many other soldiers believe that the war has become a kind of way to get rid of people on the margins of society,” the publication says.
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According to the columnist, the war increasingly resembles the exhaustion battles of World War I. At the same time, Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory are having an increasing impact.
According to him, the constant threat of drone attacks has forced Putin to appear less in public and spend more time in protected underground shelters. Moreover, in March 2026, the number of Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian territory exceeded Russian strikes on Ukraine for the first time.
Summarizing, the author notes that the war started by Russia has had the opposite result than expected: NATO has expanded, Europe has become more united, and pressure on Russia itself has only increased.
He quotes Alexandra Prokopenko, a researcher at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, who described Russia’s current situation as: “The country maintains unity, but at the same time consistently destroys its future.”
The article also quotes a former high-ranking Russian official who says that Putin is in a real dead end – every new step can only worsen the situation further.
Therefore, the most important question in the coming months, according to the author, will be how the Kremlin responds to the strengthening Ukrainian military capabilities.
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