NatSec Matters Pressuring Putin Towards a Ceasefire in Ukraine: Nico Lange
Nov 12, 2025
Nico Lange, a senior fellow focusing on transatlantic defense and European security, dives into the complexities of the Ukraine conflict. He analyzes the failures of Russia's summer offensive and argues for aggressive Western support beyond mere survival. Lange discusses the strategic necessity of targeting Russian oil infrastructure to limit Putin's war efforts. He emphasizes the importance of combined pressures to bring Russia to the negotiation table and shares insights on Germany's unique position in NATO and the implications of energy sanctions.
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Equilibrium On Ground, Dynamic Air War
- The ground war is in equilibrium: slow Russian infantry attacks meet Ukrainian counters, producing heavy Russian losses.
- The more dynamic contest is the air war, where mass Russian drones and Ukrainian deep strikes shift pressure onto Russia.
Energy Targeting Increases Political Leverage
- Strikes on Russian energy infrastructure have tangible economic effects inside Russia and hurt Putin's revenue streams.
- Combining deep strikes with secondary tariffs and lower oil prices increases leverage on Moscow.
Act Fast To Force A Political Opening
- Pressure Putin now by accelerating deliveries of deep-strike capabilities and intelligence sharing for strikes on Russian infrastructure.
- Do not give Putin time to regroup; act faster to force a political opening before year-end.