In an interview with the Mirror, Professor Anthony Gries of the University of Buckingham spoke about Putin’s long-term ambition to take back territory that was once part of the Soviet Union. Griez said President Putin is not satisfied with the peace agreement imposed by the West and is likely to seek further expansion to include NATO members since 1997.
“By 2025, President Putin will advance his strategic plan to weaken and withdraw post-1997 NATO countries, including Poland, Finland and the Baltic states, from the alliance,” Gries warned. He told the Mirror that this “massive grab” could spark a world war.
President Trump has promised to end the war in Ukraine within a day through peace negotiations. His plan reportedly includes freezing the current front lines, creating a buffer zone and delaying Ukraine’s entry into NATO by 20 years. While these measures are aimed at stabilizing the situation, experts fear they may embolden Putin rather than deter him.
John Strawson, a professor at the University of East London, called President Trump’s proposed peace deal “a sign of global instability” and predicted it would bring the world closer to war. “The decline in international cooperation and the rise of great power rivalry are the greatest challenges to the world order since World War II,” he said. Experts agree that 2025 will be a pivotal year. Gries argues that Western countries must prepare for war to thwart Putin’s ambitions. “If we do not act decisively, President Putin will continue to weaken Ukraine and eventually expand his influence across Europe,” he was quoted as saying. “The clock is ticking,” Strawson warned. “2025 may mark the beginning of a new era of global conflict.”
