“Maybe this is Zelensky’s strategy. Increase the intensity of the conflict in the hope it will lead to direct NATO involvement”
It’s his ONLY path to victory, and what does it matter to Ukraine if Russia and the US start lobbing nukes at each other, as conditions cannot get much worse from a Ukrainian standpoint.
No matter how much money, weapons, and ammo we send to Ukraine, they cannot "defeat" Russia, whatever that means. And Zelensky's call to reclaim Crimea is totally unrealistic. It is as much a part of Russia as Moscow and the home of Russia's Black Sea navy. Russia will defend this territory by any means necessary, including the use of nuclear weapons.
We should also take note of the timing of all this as Congress debates the supplemental for Ukraine.