>>512611632This was not a territorial war. The main Russian objective was demilitarization and non alignment of Ukraine.
Which they still didnโt achieve, so settling for mere territory acquisition without a regime change in Kiev would actually be a long term defeat for Russia, but it would allow Putin an off ramp to freeze the war while saving face, and his oligarch elites would pressure him to take it.
If Zelenski refuses to sign up to that, it would mean war to the last Ukrainian, and would bring about the fulfillment of the Russian maximalistic goals.