Map Reveals 'Russia's Plans' That Would Cross Trump's Red Line

 

Kyiv Warns of Russian Plans to Seize Half of Ukraine by End of 2026 as U.S. Debates Sanctions

Ukraine has accused Russia of planning to occupy over half of its territory by the end of next year, releasing a detailed map outlining what it claims are Moscow’s expansion goals. The alleged plans place Russia on a potential collision course with former President Donald Trump, who has consistently called for renewed peace negotiations.

Colonel Pavlo Palisa, Deputy Head of Ukraine's Presidential Office, revealed the claims, stating that Russia aims to fully occupy the Donetsk and Luhansk regions by September 1 and to establish a “buffer zone” along Ukraine’s northern border with Russia by year’s end. He further claimed that Moscow plans to take control of all territory east of the Dnieper River—including the Odesa and Mykolaiv regions—by the end of 2026, effectively cutting Ukraine off from the Black Sea.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a Washington-based think tank, published Palisa’s map, which suggests Russia seeks to annex an additional 85,000 square miles of Ukrainian territory. If realized, this would give Moscow control over 129,000 square miles—more than half of Ukraine’s total land area.

Yuriy Boyechko, founder of the humanitarian group Hope for Ukraine, told Newsweek that he expects Russia to continue its offensive operations until at least December. He warned that unless the U.S. and its allies provide stronger military aid and enforce severe sanctions, new Ukrainian regions could fall under Russian occupation by the end of 2025.

Despite the alarming predictions, ISW analysts believe the timeline proposed by Kyiv is overly ambitious from Moscow’s perspective. Given the slow pace of Russian advances, they say, achieving such sweeping territorial gains is unlikely—particularly if Ukraine continues to receive Western support. For example, in Donetsk, Russian forces have advanced only about 30 miles beyond Avdiivka in the last 15 months. Capturing additional parts of Kherson Oblast would also be challenging, as it requires crossing the Dnieper River under fire.

Palisa’s assertions go far beyond the formal conditions Russia has publicly outlined for any ceasefire or peace agreement—conditions Trump has urged both sides to pursue. Nevertheless, Trump has warned that if Moscow stalls peace talks, he will support additional sanctions.

U.S. Bipartisan Sanctions Bill in Focus

A sweeping bipartisan sanctions bill introduced in Congress proposes a 500% tariff on imports from any country purchasing Russian oil or raw materials. It also includes:

A ban on U.S. financial institutions making investments that benefit the Russian government.

Prohibiting Russian entities from being listed or traded on U.S. stock exchanges.

Sanctions targeting the Russian Central Bank, major state-linked banks, and key government officials—including President Vladimir Putin and senior military commanders.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the White House is pushing Republican Senator Lindsey Graham to soften parts of the bill, which he co-sponsored with Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal. Trump administration officials have reportedly asked for language changes to give the president greater discretion—such as replacing “shall” with “may” and inserting waivers to determine which entities should be sanctioned.

Senator Roger Wicker said Wednesday that Trump had requested the Senate delay a vote on the bill, which currently enjoys support from 72 senators and broad backing in the House.

Speaking to Newsweek, Boyechko emphasized that strong U.S. sanctions are essential to restoring American credibility. He criticized the past four months of diplomacy as a "complete disaster," noting that Putin had used the time following Trump’s 30-day ceasefire proposal to regroup and launch a new offensive—capturing over 100 square kilometers, including several villages in the Sumy region.

Colonel Palisa reaffirmed the gravity of Russia’s intentions: “Their plan for next year is to occupy all territory on the left bank of the Dnieper and seize Odesa and Mykolaiv, cutting Ukraine off from the Black Sea.”

Trump, addressing the proposed sanctions, stated: “If I think Russia will not be making a deal or stopping the bloodshed… I’ll use [the bill] if it’s necessary. I’m OK with it. I haven’t decided to use it. It’s a very strong bill.”

Despite skepticism over Russia’s military capabilities, the warning from Kyiv underscores growing concern that Moscow intends to continue its campaign until it achieves significant territorial control—unless the West acts decisively.

With bipartisan momentum behind the sanctions bill, the global community is now watching to see how Trump responds—and whether the U.S. will escalate pressure on Moscow in the face of continued aggression.