Peace is coming—just when and in what form. Looks like it will be on Putin’s terms at this point.
"The rapid Ukrainian breakthrough and advance that many hoped for has not occurred. Media coverage has grown gloomier in recent weeks on the back of fragmentary journalistic accounts from the front and reported intelligence assessments from Western analysts. The news has not been great. The fight against Russia has proved to be bloody and slow — a very hard slog."When the brother-in-law of Victoria Nuland begins an 'apologia' in the above manner, one may conclude the narrative is changing. "...that many hoped for...." Lots of modal words.... "Might" is among the favorites."Opinion - Ukraine's counteroffensive might yet surprise critics," by David Petraeus and Frederick W. Kagan, Washington Post, August 24, 2023.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/08/24/ukraine-counteroffensive-victory-breakout/
As they say : "The news has not been great." These are the Institute for the Study of War guys.