Vladimir Putin remains convinced that his army can continue seizing territory and has no intention of stopping the war. According to the annual U.S. Intelligence Community threat assessment, Moscow remains confident in achieving a battlefield victory and forcing a peace agreement on its own terms. Intelligence officials warn that the continuation of the war increases the risk of escalation into a broader conflict with NATO, posing an existential threat to the United States.
Although the Russian army advanced at its slowest pace in over 100 years last year (averaging just 15 meters per day), the Kremlin sees no reason to de-escalate as long as it maintains an advantage. The report highlights that Moscow’s nuclear rhetoric and use of dual-capable ballistic missiles create an “escalation spiral” that could lead to direct kinetic conflict with NATO forces, potentially involving nuclear weapons.
Analytical summary: In March 2026, U.S. intelligence assessments point to a dangerous phase of the conflict where Russia’s tactical gains, however slow, fuel the Kremlin’s strategic illusion of being able to dictate terms to the entire West. For EU nations, this reinforces the necessity of long-term strengthening of the eastern flank and transitioning to a defense-oriented economy. The threat of “deliberate escalation” by Moscow transforms a regional war into a global security challenge, where the risk of direct conflict with NATO is becoming a calculated tool of Russian political pressure.