I am sure Zelensky feels an obligation to try and end any more loss of life for his people. Peace talks also buys time for more foreign aid to arrive, but also buys time for Russia to regroup.
I don’t see talks going anywhere. If Zelensky/Ukraine don’t meet then Putin can say he tried to come to the table and they wouldn’t. Putin will insist on agreements limiting Ukrainian sovereignty like before and Ukraine will tell Russia to go fuck themselves.
Hopefully there have been assurances made through third-parties (the UN, Swiss, whoever) to have neutral observers for this. Just feel uneasy; can’t rule anything out of Putin’s playbook.
How do you negotiate with someone calling you nazis and drug addicts & has ruthlessly tried to attack you with violent war? Why do I think this is going to be a surrender/renounce Ukraine or we will bring the bombs? How the hell is Putin going to accept defeat / anything less than a decided victory? He doesn’t seem to believe in rational thinking.
this seems wild. when was the last time a western government officially endorsed its populace taking up arms in a foreign conflict? Spanish Civil War in the 1930s?
The russia, putin is backed into a corner. Between the definition above and that paste eater Rubio openly saying “don’t do it” I’m not feeling great for the world.
Wouldn't call him far-right, more like opportunistic. He’ll always blow in the direction of the strongest wind.
I’m talking relative to modern warfare in consideration of the opponent, etc. Not trying to say it’s an incredible number or anything.
what is a reasonable solution to this coming out of those talks? in my mind, the only viable face-saving path for Putin is that Donbass / Crimea stay Russian, maybe Ukraine formally recognizes them, agrees to not join NATO (permanently?) - he withdraws and everyone avoids WWIII if i am the average Ukrainian, based on how shit has gone so far, i would hate that and want to take back the shit Putin stole in 2014.
On the last part, if taking that back enhances their defense because it’s strategically important I agree.
Kinda sounds like you’re just signing up for Russia to take your country one incursion at a time every few years.