Hi Andy. great points!

I agree - I think this war wouldn't have gone on for nearly as long as it has if it was not for US support and Zelensky banked on that.

The pentagon has clear strategic interests geopolitically, economically and otherwise in hammering the death knell into the coffin of their former rival. I think they believed that with financial sanctions they could essentially cripple the Russian economy and thus also contain China's influence over the European continent.

That's a very interesting take - yes the GOP doesn't seem to want to continue funding Ukraine, but it's weird because they're always so bullish for war. Perhaps they just always take the contrarian view to the Democrats so that they can appear like they actually have some ideology besides Christianity, the second amendment and misogyny. It is strange though.

Yes absolutely a war of attrition, but what I fear is that Putin will lose the plot, pull back the troops and begin a chemical warfare campaign of some kind or other to simply wipe out the Ukrainians altogether.

What happens when you back a rat into a corner? It certainly can't work out well.

I personally really do not see the harm in sitting down with the man officially and seeing what he has to say, and what he's willing to offer.

There's literally nothing to lose in at least trying a diplomatic route.