Putin weighs post-US election ultimatum for Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin is reportedly planning to issue a new ultimatum to Ukraine following the upcoming U.S. presidential elections on November 5. This topic is said to be under active discussion within the Kremlin, according to an influential Russian Telegram channel "Secret Office," which cited informed sources.
"The Kremlin is discussing the format and timing of the release of the new ultimatum to Ukraine to initiate negotiations and explore detailed peace track proposals with the West," the report states. There are two possible scenarios for the ultimatum — one prepared in the event of Republican Donald Trump's re-election, and another if Democrat Kamala Harris comes to power. Allegedly, a "soft option" will be presented to Trump, while Harris will face a "hard-line" approach. Putin is supposedly set to demand control of four Ukrainian regions, the disbanding of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the creation of a 200-kilometer "buffer zone," among other conditions.
The media outlet suggests that the threat of involving North Korean forces in the current conflict is Russia's way of raising the stakes ahead of the ultimatum. Additionally, Putin may potentially play the "Transnistria card."
It's unclear what exactly Putin will use to intimidate Ukraine and the West this time around. The North Korean threat, in particular, hasn't had much of an impact, given that deploying a 10,000-strong North Korean contingent seems unlikely to turn the tide of the conflict. As for nuclear threats, the Russian president has issued these on numerous occasions and they have not caused Kyiv or its Western allies to waver. A Russian attack on Moldova or the Baltic states also appears dubious at this stage, considering the Russian military's significant depletion over more than two and a half years of the "special military operation."