European governments are privately concluding that President Vladimir Putin is deliberately stretching out negotiations over Ukraine in order to retain military leverage and erode Western unity. According to policymakers cited in recent analyses, Moscow’s offer of ‘step-by-step’ discussions — beginning at an expert level before moving to higher-level meetings — is viewed as a stalling tactic rather than a genuine search for compromise. With Putin rejecting a formal cease-fire, European leaders have adopted a pragmatic approach: cooperate with U.S. President Donald Trump’s peace initiative while attempting to persuade him that the Kremlin is not acting in good faith. The aim, officials say, is to avoid an open rift with Washington until Trump recognises the need for a tougher line on the Kremlin. Commentators at The Economist and the Financial Times argue that continuing combat remains the Russian president’s main source of leverage. They warn that protracted diplomacy allows Putin both to maintain battlefield momentum and to sow dissent inside Ukraine and among its Western backers.