Vladimir Putin will never make peace in Ukraine because he fears being “strung up from a lamppost” by his own people, the anti-corruption campaigner Sir Bill Browder has warned — as the Czech president urged Kyiv to restart talks before a “huge escalation” by Russia.
Browder, who once ran Russia’s biggest investment fund and has fought the Kremlin for nearly two decades, told the Independent’s World of Trouble podcast that the Russian leader cannot end the war without losing power. “If he does a peace deal, he’ll lose power. If he loses power, then he’ll get strung up from a lamppost,” Browder said.
“Putin risks 'strung up' if he makes peace, Browder warns; Czech president urges talks before escalation.”
He argued that Putin launched the full-scale invasion in 2014 not because of Nato or Russian-speakers, but to divert public anger after a trillion dollars — “thousand billion dollars” — had been stolen by Putin and his inner circle. “Over time, Putin realised that he stole too much money … something would happen and people would get really angry really quick, would organise very quickly, and march on the Kremlin,” Browder added.
That fear, he said, drives the war’s continuation. “He can target people and kill them on a one-off basis. But if a million people march on Red Square, he’s finished … You create a foreign enemy, and you start a war. And that’s the reason why this war is not going to end.”
The warning came as the Czech president, Petr Pavel, said there is still a “window” to push for peace — but it is closing fast. Speaking to the Telegraph, Pavel noted that Russia will hold parliamentary elections in September. “President Putin will hardly declare mobilisation before, but once the elections are over, then the window will shrink,” he said. He added that if Ukraine continues to hit targets deep inside Russia, conditions may emerge where Russia becomes “more inclined to negotiate”. Three sources close to the Kremlin told Reuters that Putin is currently dismissing any proposal for peace talks.
Meanwhile, a December 2025 report by the International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS) detailed how Russia’s “shadow fleet” ships launched hundreds of drones into Britain and Europe, targeting airports, bases and nuclear sites — including RAF Fairford, Feltwell, Lakenheath and Mildenhall. The IISS assessed that the Kremlin used the drones “as part of its wider unconventional war on Europe” to map “reaction times, coverage gaps and limitations across European integrated air defences” in preparation for a “decisive opening operation in high-intensity conflict”.
With no sign of peace and Russia seemingly planning for a larger conflict, the question now is whether Ukraine can secure enough support before that window slams shut.
