That’s the thing, Russia cannot de-escalate unilaterally. De-escalation requires both sides to want it. We know that neither NATO nor the current Ukrainian leadership want peace. They want everything else, no matter how unrealistic or unreasonable but they don’t want peace. That doesn’t give Russia much room. It’s options are to capitulate or continue matching the escalatory moves.
That’s the thing, Russia cannot de-escalate unilaterally. De-escalation requires both sides to want it. We know that neither NATO nor the current Ukrainian leadership want peace. They want everything else, no matter how unrealistic or unreasonable but they don’t want peace. That doesn’t give Russia much room. It’s options are to capitulate or continue matching the escalatory moves.
Exactly, and this means Russia has to walk a tightrope of avoiding WW3 while still achieving its objectives through force.