It isn't everything though, is it? It is a way out - a horrible way out, fraught with risks and which doesn't punish those who brought that murderous war to the land - but a way out nonetheless. Ukraine will still exist, with the same government and having shown the world what they have stood up to (and what the enemy was willing to do).
He said a few days ago that what he wanted for his country was peace, not to be some sort of 300. That deal is peace.
It's not everything, but it's not a way out, because ->
He is not going to roll in to heavily armed NATO countries.
To get what you want sometimes you take more to compromise somewhere in between. Russia have paid the ultimate price that a country who has nuclear weapons could pay. Sadly if this was a country that didn't have them we would have steamrollered them into submission - turning them into North Korea is the next best thing and a good example to China of what could happen.
I don't know if that deal is on the table, it was said by Putin but the devil is in the detail. All I'm saying is if it is, they should definitely take it.
It won't work.
This isn't a democratic friendly poke, it's a war declared by a madman from a country with a history of having madmen dictator-types. How people see this and go "yeah, that's gonna be peace definitely" is WELL beyond me; baffling.
Remember when he was in Crimea that way and that was peace?
What happened then? Oh wait, Ukrainians were thrown out for no reason, then Russia started sponsoring (widely reported, not a 'conspiracy theory' anymore) Russians by buying land/houses/apartments in Ukraine and giving it to higher power propagandists on Russia's side.
What happened a few years later? Oh, a war. For the rest of the territory the dictator seems to believe is his (Russian) God given right to have. Well that's baffling, Russia said they would never! Except they did, and here we are, and they won't stop. Again. Like always.
I really don't think that is the lesson they will take away from this - I'd bet it will be that it is much easier to control / influence countries from a distance using puppets than it is to go in and take things.
On a personal note, I'm sorry to use this "card" if it can be called that, but - isn't this what you're suggesting to be done here? People to abandon home, house, life and country because this is what you deem as sensible, on the other end of Europe? Would you have this exact same reaction if your country was next in line here, or if the war was in your own country? Doubt it. I genuinely fear that my own life might be over a few months after an eventual Ukraine surrender, as they're driven out of their own country. Imagine how hell bent he'd be on finding and eradicating other "nazis" in ex-USSR countries. Or the same Ukrainian nazis, who OBVIOUSLY influence politics everywhere they've "escaped" to in the ye olde' Eastern bloc. We even have a pro-Russian party here, if that makes it any better/worse. An OPENLY pro-Russian party. Not many supporters, but they exist. Throwing snowballs at our current prime minister on our national holiday a week ago, on the 3rd of March, as he's against the war. Imagine how lovely things are the closer to this you are. Imagine this being actively talked to as "the threat to Bulgaria" every day. Being discussed in a serious manner.
While you're a world away from this.
Anyway, Putin is a Russian Imperialist, who is going to want to restore it (or his own sick version of the Empire) as soon as he gets a sniff at the entire Ukraine. What's next, oh, maybe countries that share the Black Sea, which have weaker armies. Or the ones above/around them, which were part of the USSR. But it's alright though, they'll just go to a different country and escape this... And then the next, and the next. So that's why I'm saying that I genuinely hope he gets shot ASAP, as horrible as that might make me.
But yeah, ponder giving away land to a land-hungry dictator, sure. As long as he's a world away this is the most obvious choice. I'm sorry to say this, just been on my mind, I guess.
Tiring and depressing thought honestly. Sorry for the mostly personal rant, just wanted to get it off my chest.
