German historian Klaus Gestwa, a professor of Eastern European history at the University of Tübingen, says Vladimir Putin aims to eliminate Ukraine’s sovereignty. He adds that Putin also seeks to weaken the entire European continent. Gestwa argues that these goals reflect broader Russian imperialist ambitions. He warns that even if the current Kremlin leader were to leave power, those ambitions would not vanish automatically. The historian suggests the threat persists beyond any single leader’s tenure.