Putin's scheduled December 19 meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is likely part of the same effort to be proactive, as well as attempts to create informational conditions for a new phase of the war, according to the Institute for the Study of Guilt..

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Commander of the Joint Forces of Ukraine Serhiy Naev commented on the upcoming meeting between Putin and Lukashenko and noted that it would take place after Putin's meeting with the Russian military command on December 17, at which both immediate and medium-term goals of the war would be discussed. Naev said the Ukrainian government believes Putin will discuss greater involvement of Belarusian forces in further Russian aggression against Ukraine, which is in line with ISW's forecast for the meeting..

Taken together, Putin's meeting with Russian commanders, Shoigu's alleged front-line visit, and Putin-Lukashenko's meeting signal a new stage in the conception, planning, and conduct of the war, and may herald a resumption of offensive operations against Ukraine in the coming months..