By the way, I predict an upcoming alliance against the anti-Russian American policy, led by the Biden administration. For two reasons:
1st the economic
2nd every nation, even those which are absolutely not allied with Russia, know, that if the the US Biden regime can break Russia, with its policy of first weaponising Ukraine, then cracking down on Russia, they can take out everyone else as well. The Americans being already engaged in a lot of invasions, wars and embargos in the last years. In comparison, Trump was one of the more peaceful presidents, but Biden immediately started to interfering more in foreign affairs of other countries.
And its simple: Most people know that Russians stance is rather defensive and it can't overreach. Its resources are limited and they won't, in the next decades, be able to threaten or invade any country as they want. Even if the anti-Russian propaganda paints them as aggressive and like they want to take Europe, that's all nonsense. So they will rather side with Russia, to not let it down and get destroyed, rather than with America, which is the much bigger threat to their sovereignty and economic independence.
At first, the USA managed to blackmail a lot of states, which were indeed in shock that Putin really attacked the whole of Ukraine, which even I wouldn't have believed just some weeks ago, that they would do it right from the start. I thought its possible, but it was definitely not my most likely scenario. But after some weeks, when the economic damage kicks in and it becomes more and more clear to all the states how the USA acted in the preliminary events leading to this war, by backing up Selenski and weaponising Ukraine aggressively, while not trying to profit big time and bringing Russia down with this conflict, they will all slowly but steadily switch sides and the US will lose the control over the international community.
That's an option if Russia succeeds quickly in particular, which is therefore an absolute necessity and explains why they have to use the whole arsenal to lift those two plugs in Kharkiv and Mariupol. Once that happened, and the big pincer movement starts to annihilate the main Ukrainian forces of the Donbas front, it will all go pretty quickly. I just hope the Americans are not trigger-happy and come to senses, by pushing Selenski to take peace negotiations more seriously.
Because Russia won't give in, especially they won't ever give up on Crimea. The 2nd World War started with Danzig, there is no reason to the start the 3rd World War over Crimea, which case is even more clear, since the Russians control it since years and the population is decisively pro-Russian.
The Russians just demand a neutral Ukraine, and that they get Crimea for sure, Donbas if they can. Along these lines peace can be made, if the Western states promise guarantees for the neutral Ukraine and lift the sanctions on Russia. Anything else is out of question under normal circumstances and the whole war being provoked, started and continued despite of knowing all of this and despite knowing that Russia has its case, especially after the purge and persecutions of pro-Russian citizens started by the Selenski regime.
The only other way Ukraine get out of this is by Russia collapsing under the war efforts, soldiers revolt or a palace revolution. But any Russian doing so would be a national traitor and backstabber, because Russia won't recover from a defeat that easily, the war, once started, as bad as it was, became too important to be lost.
And talking about diplomacy and peace negotiations: The above mentioned outlines were always clear, to anybody. Ukraine just knew it and wanted to change the facts on the ground by arming up and annihilating the Don republics. Cutting the water supply of Crimea was also an incredible move. To dry out a whole country the size of Crimea, to exert pressure on the Russians. Or the constant attacks on Donbas. What did they think they are doing, other than starting an even bigger war?
Back to the negotiations table and get reasonable, accountable people again. That's true for both sides.
but it reminded me of an interview with a Mob guy I heard on some podcast who mentioned that he always tipped the help, the doorman the barber ect, he said you have to give back especially if you're doing well. There's always going to be wealthy elites but they need to follow a similar mantra...take care of your community...