“Oh, unless Ukraine surrenders....”
You just repeated what you said before instead of answering my question. Back then you did not say it with that “surrender” caveat. You have changed your tune since then. Why? Where you wrong or is Russia simply unable to take the whole coastline as you said they would?
“The Russians would have been perfectly happy to see the Minsk Accords implemented.”
The Russians and the separatists trashed the Minsk accords one and two.
“Russia would have settled for Donetsk and Luhansk being annexed”
Your point? Again, you didnt address my point: You said Russia has all they want, (even though they still do not control all the land they claim, nor the land you claim they would get “not matter what anyone tries to do”). If they have all they want why are they still trying and failing miserably to take more land?
“The only question is how much more territory will Russia be forced to take before it does”
Then why not take the whole Black sea coastline as you said they would to force Ukraine to surrender? Ukraine is down to old men and woman. What are they waiting for? Should be EZPZ.
You're lying. The Russians had the leverage to force Ukraine into signing the Minsk Accords. Of course, they wanted it implemented.
Angela Merkel and François Hollande have bragged about Ukraine signing the Minsk Accords with no intention of letting it honor the agreement. Both admitted signing Minsk was ruse so Ukraine continue its military buildup and continue to persecute, drive out and murder the ethnic Russian population in Dotensk and Lugansk.
Your take on Minsk proves what a liar you.
Get this through your skull -- those in Donetsk in Lugansk, who overwhelmingly voted for Yanukovych had NO OBLIGATON WHATSOEVER to remain part of Ukrainian nationalist/neo-Nazi government that came to power illegally.
The part of Ukraine that Russia has liberated and is in control of isn't going back to Ukraine. There is anything anyone can do to change that reality.
The answer is obvious to anyone with half a brain -- taking Odessa will cost Russian lives.
Unlike Zelensky, Putin gives a damn about his troops and wants to minimize the loss of life.
Compare that to Ukraine, which has rounded up conscripts, sent them to frontlines ill-prepared to be cannon fodder. Lives are irrelevant to Zelenksy and us and NATO, which couldn't give a hoot about Ukraine or Ukrainians.