He is the author of Does Conquest Pay? The Exploitation of Occupied Industrial Societies. Today, about 20 percent of southeastern Ukraine is under Russian occupation, including Crimea and large parts of the Donetsk,

The Kremlin said contacts between the U.S. and Russia had taken place, the first time Moscow has hinted the two countries are discussing a potential plan to end fighting in Ukraine.

Moscow is set on capturing as much territory as possible as the Trump administration is pushing for negotiations to end the war.