Rubio and Witkoff will travel to Paris to discuss Russia’s war in Ukraine, while the ISW believes Putin has enough resources for another 12 to 16 months.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the US President’s Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff are scheduled to visit Paris this week. Witkoff plans to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron, and Rubio will meet with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot. The discussions will cover Ukraine, Iran, and trade relations amid Trump’s threats of a potential increase in customs tariffs.

It is noteworthy that George Barros, Russia Team and Geospatial Intelligence Team Lead at the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW), asserts that Russian dictator Putin can sustain the conflict with Ukraine, even with the current level of military losses, for another 12 to 16 months. According to the analyst, the Kremlin is relying on the Trump administration to suspend or reduce its aid to Ukraine, which would lessen Russian military losses and allow Putin to continue his war.

“This conflict will ultimately be resolved through military means. It hinges on whether there will be a Russian or Ukrainian victory in some form,” Barros stated.