Moscow, October 23, 2026

On October 23, 2026, experts in Moscow described a Russian strategy intended to exploit Donald Trump and gain time for the war against Ukraine.

The assessment is based on four articles and information documented regarding Putin, Trump, Moscow, the Kremlin, the ISW, and Volodymyr Zelenskyy. At its core is the assessment that Moscow wants to use political developments in the United States to continue and potentially expand the war.

An important geographical starting point is control over territories in Ukraine. The remainder of the territory controlled by Russia was already occupied before the invasion in 2022 by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine or through the annexation of Crimea.

This initial situation makes prolonged warfare easier. Moscow does not need to capture new positions in every conflict zone immediately to maintain its military presence. Existing control can serve as a basis for further operations.