The reality in the battlefield is overwhelming.
US loses its appetite for financing a defeat. Democrats in US wanted a lucky tide to create a moment of temporary moral victory or a revival of the worldwide focus and compassion for a Ukraine’s cause to look and pretend to be nobil, a situation that would impose the Biden administration as doing something world wide worthy to be continued.
Zelensky acted well reporting some preparations for promising counter-offensives. Wards cannot be stretched anymore. Actions are required.
Russia claims that 2000 soldier a day are removed daily from the battlefield in deaths or casualties, while Ukraine claims that recruits over 5000 soldiers a day… none of them can be trusted, yet even to be reduced to a 3rd the numbers are painful.
Russia’s promised retaliations measures following the terrorist attack on Crimean beach already started: President Vladimir Putin asked Saudi Arabia’s permission to arm Yemens Houthis with cruise missiles, he has in mind to simply give away 10 fighter jets, part of a defense cooperation deal that would see Moscow train Lebanese military personnel. Russia is also reportedly preparing to sell SA-20 anti-aircraft missiles to Iran.
Is not going well for Ukraine.
Negotiations, negotiations, NEGOTIATIONS is what Russia expected, asked, begged, coherced… before February 2022, yet Ukrainian leaders (and their Russophobic friends) decided that they wanted to prove their argument on the battlefield. So now, we should get on in the battlefield as Ukrainian dictated the conditions, shouldn’t we?
Ukraine’s not reelected, disputed and illegitimate leader, at the request or advice of other western leaders of course, instead, changed his mind, he contemplates diplomacy: a comprehensive plan to end war with Russia to be ready in a month time. In Mr Zelensky’s perspective diplomacy means to continue to accuse the party you are in conflict with, and to impose all your demands making clear that “you want what you want”. This is Ukrainian “diplomacy”, inflexible like Ukraine had the upper hand, uncompormising like Ukriane was some kind of a mighty China, tottaly utterly monologistique, deaf, intransigent. This peace plan talks do not sound like a diplomacy endeavor logged in the diplomacy hall of fame remarkable acts to be remembered and referred to by future generations to get inspired from. It might be a strategy to pretend that Ukraine wants peace so that Russia can be coherced to stop its military campaign and in this pause Ukraine to regroup, or to slow down the Russian advancements.
In my humble and modest opinion diplomacy means to LISTEN, LISTEN LISTEN, not to offend or accuse, understand the party in conflict’s point of view, what are their needs, what are their doleances, what are their requests, NEGOTIATING NEGOTIATING NEGOTIATING, drop off any (Russo) phobias, any biases, any misconceptions.
Unfortunately the point of noreturn was already passed in Turkey spring 2022 when Russia asked negotiations desperately again. The new peace talks Zelensky announced during his recent visit in Slovenia will have to reflect the reality on the ground I am affraid. You can not make Russia launch a war and than to undo the consequences of your decisions to go for war and the results of the war you unleashed yourself by your own decision to let it happen.