>> Suspicion is that Putin is preparing the ground for a "Sorry chaps, all a misunderstanding.
>> Let's call it quits eh?" and hoping that the West will pressure Ukraine into giving
>> up the land already occupied by Russia.
Makes sense when you say it, all that matters to him now is what he can bank and how much better if Russia doesn't have to plough all its dwindling revenues into armaments indefinitely. His power over NATO is sustained by threats of nuclear weapons use but the longer he goes on threatening, the less credible the threats are.
If we are to believe he is really as paranoid as his behaviour suggests, he will also want to stop any further expansion of NATO - which I don't think he should be allowed to do. It would seem more rational to me that he wants to keep Finland, Sweden, and others out of NATO to preserve Russia's empire-building options rather than to keep Russia safe from attack.
Is he paying his cards while he still has some?
If NATO and the EU think they can get Russia under control, what Zelensky wants won't signify.
|
