I think that when Putin has sufficiently consolidated his hold on Donbas and Mariupol he’ll simply declare victory, occupy and annex those regions. There’s no way Ukraine will be able to recover those areas once they are effectively part of Russia. In a few years Putin will make another attempt on Ukraine.
“I think that when Putin has sufficiently consolidated his hold on Donbas and Mariupol he’ll simply declare victory, occupy and annex those regions. There’s no way Ukraine will be able to recover those areas once they are effectively part of Russia. In a few years Putin will make another attempt on Ukraine.”
I kind of agree. He may make one more feint towards Kiev after he gets Eastern Ukraine under control with little intention of entering that urban insurgent meat grinder only to put pressure on Zelensky to agree to more of the terms he wants to end his “special operation”