This "not wanting Russia to look bad" is going nowhere. Putin has been tacitly offered the opportunity to drop hands and keep the Russian-occupied areas in the east but has shown no real interest in a settlement. It would be catastrophic to offer him more but clearly that is what he is intent on.
I don't think this will end until Ukraine decides it's had enough, or Putin is dead/deposed.
Now Russia has been holding nuclear attack drills. This looks like sabre rattling and hopefully is, maybe it's a response to the US sending HIMARS to Ukraine.
Speculation that Putin is suffering from pancreatic cancer are unconfirmed.
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