Citing sources, the journalists write that the Kremlin is counting on Washington pressuring Kyiv into ceding Kherson and Zaporizhzhya to Moscow, citing their annexation being “enshrined” in the Russian constitution.

“There is no mechanism in the constitution for regions to leave Russia,” said a Kremlin-affiliated official.

“We need all of Zaporizhzhya and all of Kherson.”

Another Russian official said the Kremlin hopes the United States will pressure Ukrainian forces to withdraw completely from territories occupied by Russia.

“Either President [Donald] Trump influences them [the Ukrainian military] to pull out, or we are told, ‘Enter prolonged negotiations and simultaneously use military force to establish control,” the official added.

“That is the worst scenario for us because forcing river crossings is always a painful operation.”

He suggested that, as an alternative, Russia might try to capture parts of other Ukrainian oblasts—such as Dnipropetrovsk or Sumy—and then offer an exchange for Kherson and Zaporizhzhya.

Israeli military expert David Sharp said Russia is not currently capable of quickly seizing these regions by force.