I think that’s why there’s going to be a negotiated treaty. Everyone agrees to this that and the other thing and no more fighting.
Putin does not want to continue this conflict. Its highly unpopular at home and draining the coffers. If he gets what he wants he’ll go home.
Putin does not want to take over and occupy the Ukraine. Its too expensive as it will just be a welfare state.
You too, are looking at this in a sort of leadership / transactional way. That works for dictators (to a point) and go-between negotiators.
It doesn’t necessarily work where the people themselves have a say.
Please read my post above about the factor of, essentially, the PO’d Ukrainian people. Or at least a chunk of them.
Then read again our own Declaration of Independence (and consider only about 10% of the colonies’ population is thought to have actively contributed to The Revolution.) The important part is that last line.
BTW, don’t get me wrong. I wish to heck this war could end fairly cleanly, and Trump would come out of it with a huge, huge victory for himself and the USA.
But... I look at the history of these sort of conflicts, why populations resist, or not, and then try to account for new factors like drone warfare.
This one is monstrously tough.