“Gerasimov has spoken to the Americans about the “exchange” of Melitopol and Mariupol for Crimea .”
I said many months ago, the peace treaty will be for RuZZia to keep Crimea and Ukraine gets all the rest of its territory.
The view wasn’t popular amongst some of my friends here on FR. But it is what I think will happen.
Could be wrong. Time will tell.
I have suggested the same. Ukraine would have to have meaningful security guarantees from the west, or Russia would just use the “treaty” to rearm for another war. I don’t think Russia is willing to give up on territory taken in 2014, but they could negotiate neutrality and disarmament of the LPR/DPR/CRIMEA.