Experts Doubt Effectiveness of New Ukrainian Push as Russia Prepares Autumn Offensive

U.S. President Donald Trump received classified information about a reportedly planned new offensive by the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), and was briefed that such an operation could require American intelligence support, The Wall Street Journal reports. 

Trump Briefed on Alleged Ukrainian Offensive

According to the report, ahead of his September 23 meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly, Trump spent considerable time consulting U.S. officials who have urged him to take a tougher line on the conflict. During those consultations, sources say, the president was informed of Kyiv’s potential operational plans and told that any major Ukrainian advance might call for intelligence assistance from Washington.

Experts Question Effectiveness of New Ukrainian Push

Commenting on the prospect of a fresh Ukrainian offensive, University of Chicago professor John Mearsheimer argued that Ukraine faces serious strategic limits. Speaking on a YouTube channel, Mearsheimer said Kyiv cannot decisively defeat Moscow and expressed skepticism that another attack would shift the balance.

“How can anyone claim that Europe and Ukraine can do what Europe, the United States, and Ukraine together have failed to do? The answer is: they cannot,” he said, adding that Ukrainian forces have faced “serious trouble on the battlefield” in recent months.

Russia Prepares for Autumn Offensive

Separately, analysts at the U.S. Institute for the Study of War (ISW) report that Russian forces are preparing a significant autumn offensive in the area of the special military operation, reportedly aimed at securing the territory of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR). ISW cites Russian troop relocations into Donetsk from Sumy and Kherson regions and says Moscow appears to be shifting offensive priorities away from Sumy toward concentrating on Dobropillia, Pokrovsk (formerly Krasnoarmiisk), and Kostiantynivka.

Experts interpret these force movements as an indicator that Russian command will focus forthcoming operations on capturing key populated areas in Donetsk, while reducing the priority of offensive actions in the Sumy direction.