In the face of NATO’s inevitable reduction of armed support to Kiev as suggested by the New York Times’ latest report, which came a day before the Estonian Defense Minister admitted that the Russian military remains strong in spite of this proxy war, it makes perfect sense for all sides to secure their gains at this point in time.
Reality is setting in, at least for the next 5 or 6 months of winter..... during which Russia will seek to 'end the war' by crippling Ukraine infrastructure, and launch attacks to damage/destroy the US-NATO armed Azov survivors. Russia will have to be careful to not be suckered into more fake Minsk style agreements that neither the Ukrainian Nazis nor the US/NATO thugs might honour.
Dawning light in Estonia and the West yes. But all of Russia's armed forces reamain strong not just the navy and airforce. Probably stronger than at the beginning of the conflict. So " it makes perfect sense for all sides to secure their gains at this point in time." Why all sides? Europe yes. The United states maybe. Ukraine of course. But Russia? Any peace deal now would have to depend on the West not rearming the rump of Ukraine but there is no chance they would abide by any agreement, whatever they sign. They never have in the past so why now?
As Churchill put it when faced with another lot of nazis, Russia is condemned not to fail or falter, to go on to the end whatever the cost maybe, to finish the job in Ukraine for good. After that we will have to see how it pans out. There will be no lack of problems.
A failure of western support iwill not make it "much more likely that a stalemate will eventually settle in along the Line of Control (LOC)." What is much more likely is a mutiny of the Ukrainian infantry currently being driven at gun point into suicidal attacks on Russian positions. Let us not forget that Ukrainians have regularly voted for peace (and been promised it) but have been fooled into believing they could defeat Russia and that the the Russians are monsters.
Reality is setting in, at least for the next 5 or 6 months of winter..... during which Russia will seek to 'end the war' by crippling Ukraine infrastructure, and launch attacks to damage/destroy the US-NATO armed Azov survivors. Russia will have to be careful to not be suckered into more fake Minsk style agreements that neither the Ukrainian Nazis nor the US/NATO thugs might honour.
Dawning light in Estonia and the West yes. But all of Russia's armed forces reamain strong not just the navy and airforce. Probably stronger than at the beginning of the conflict. So " it makes perfect sense for all sides to secure their gains at this point in time." Why all sides? Europe yes. The United states maybe. Ukraine of course. But Russia? Any peace deal now would have to depend on the West not rearming the rump of Ukraine but there is no chance they would abide by any agreement, whatever they sign. They never have in the past so why now?
As Churchill put it when faced with another lot of nazis, Russia is condemned not to fail or falter, to go on to the end whatever the cost maybe, to finish the job in Ukraine for good. After that we will have to see how it pans out. There will be no lack of problems.
A failure of western support iwill not make it "much more likely that a stalemate will eventually settle in along the Line of Control (LOC)." What is much more likely is a mutiny of the Ukrainian infantry currently being driven at gun point into suicidal attacks on Russian positions. Let us not forget that Ukrainians have regularly voted for peace (and been promised it) but have been fooled into believing they could defeat Russia and that the the Russians are monsters.