Whether the goal is outright victory or bringing Russia to the table, western allies need to strengthen Ukraine’s hand. The Kremlin can only be pushed into talks on a deal that might be satisfactory for Kyiv, and the west, if it feels the costs of fighting on are too high. And any resolution to the war that enables all or part of Ukraine to survive and prosper will need guarantees of its security.

Now “bringing Russia to talks” is a victory in itself for them. How quickly they forgot that it was Russia who wanted to negotiate from the beginning and after being snubbed for two years they said fuck it we’ll just take it. Two years ago Zelenskyy signed a decree making talks with Putin impossible but possible with Russia. They really throught regime change could happen, by they I mean the US, Zelenskyy just did what he was told.

The media celebrated every time Russia wasn’t invited to one of the “peace summits” but now all of a sudden “Kremlin needs to be pushed to the negotiating table”.

I wonder if they will succeed. If they will make the pro-UA crowd accept ending the war as a victory. If Ukraine declares victory after negotiations and people believe it genuinely might go insane.