The Battle for Ukraine: Assessing Putin's Strategy and Western Resolve

The Russian-Ukrainian war has reached a stalemate, with neither side able to achieve a fundamental change on the ground. Calls for negotiations have intensified, but the positions of Russia and Ukraine are currently irreconcilable. Ukraine is determined to achieve complete liberation of the occupied territories and rejects the idea of negotiations, while Russia seeks to impose its terms, including a demilitarized and non-aligned Ukraine. The outcome of the war will have significant implications for the military-political balance in Eastern Europe, with Russia potentially using a neutral Ukraine as a springboard for further expansion.