Russia continues advancing in Ukraine, with Russian troops nearing the strategically significant city of Pokrovsk in Donetsk. Capturing Pokrovsk would mark Russia’s most notable military gain since the onset of trench warfare in eastern Ukraine, potentially enabling further advances toward Kramatorsk, an industrial hub with military production capabilities.
Russia has occupied around 1,000 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory since February, and the rate of advance is accelerating. The looming military victory makes it increasingly unlikely that Russia would agree to a settlement. Meanwhile, Western optimism about Ukraine’s chances has waned, with financial and military support dwindling.
In fact, winter is better for advancing in a lot of ways because ground is firm, and there's no foliage to provide visual cover for defending troops. We saw Russia do many successful offensives in winter over the past three years. Yet, western media doesn't want to engage with reality here.
I suspect that regardless what happens with the frozen assets, the damage has already been done. Every country that values its sovereignty now knows that the west will do the same thing to them if they get on the wrong side of the equation.
Indeed, but these people painted themselves into a corner over the past three years and now they have no way out.
Yup, there is no chance that Russia would trade their relationship with China for anything the US could offer. The fundamental problem is that the US is not able to make any long term commitments due to the nature of the political system. Whatever deals and concessions Trump may offer might not be worth the paper they're written on when the next admin comes in. This makes it impossible to have the US as a long term partner. On the other hand, the situation with China is the complete opposite. There's a single party in charge, and there's a continuity of leadership. Not to mention the fact that Russian and Chinese economies compliment each other perfectly.
The war in Ukraine will be taught in the history books as the event that broke western hegemony over the world.