Vladimir Putin's recent actions have dashed any hopes for peace during Donald Trump's negotiations, prompting warnings from foreign policy experts about the potential for further conflict. Professor Anthony Glees, a security expert at the University of Buckingham, described the situation as "the most chilling" aspect of the failed peace talks, highlighting that Putin appears fully prepared for all-out war. On Tuesday, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of the US President, arrived in Moscow for crucial discussions with Russian officials regarding proposals to end the ongoing invasion of Ukraine, which has lasted nearly three years. Upon their arrival, they were given a red carpet welcome and treated to lunch at an upscale restaurant, although they had to wait several hours before meeting with Putin. Professor Glees expressed concern that Putin has opted to continue his "hybrid war" against the West. He stated, "Putin remains entirely confident he can outsmart Trump all the way to victory over Ukraine. This is a desperate worry." He further remarked, "By sending witless Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner, Trump has played out his last-ditch attempt to convince Putin that he can have his slice of Ukraine – if he lets Trump get that coveted Nobel peace prize. But Putin in effect spits in Trump’s face and tells him to go to hell. He’s saying he’ll have his own way, end of story." Glees warned that unless Europe recognises the need to avoid reliance on Trump and resist becoming subservient to Putin, the continent risks slipping into a large-scale conventional war. Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the conflict has escalated into an international crisis, with initial attempts to capture Kyiv thwarted by Ukrainian forces, who have since launched their own counter-offensive. Despite some territorial gains, the war has continued, with front lines shifting and both sides suffering significant economic and human losses. There had been hopes that Trump could exert pressure on both Moscow and Kyiv to negotiate a resolution, but these expectations have repeatedly been dashed, leaving the future of peace negotiations uncertain.