The front line has changed in 2 years and 3 months...hence the cherrypick. In a war there are always advances and retreats (tactical or otherwise) but the bottom line here is that the Ukraine has already lost 18% of its territory since 2014 so its hard, even for a propagandist, to claim that the Ukraine is winning.
So, IMO, the Ukraine has to admit its tactical mistake (if not ideological) by underestimating Russia's resolve to ensure that the Ukraine does not join NATO.
Idealists can argue the point until they go blue in the face but it wont make an iota of difference IMO. War is war and military might matters .
During WW2 the US teamed up with the USSR to defeat Nazi Germany on the basis that "Your Enemy's Enemy is your Friend"
This war is nothing different in that it has unified Russia & China with Iran & North Korea in the flies. While the USA is teaming up with Europeans on the other side (the US regards the EC as socialist and the Euro as the chief contender to the USD as the Global Reserve currency) . 7 Years ago the Trump regime bunged on crippling import tariffs on goods ex the EEC which were a form of trade sanctions.
NB: Dont mention the US tariffs on EC goods which have been relaxes due to this war in order to temporarily shield the US/EU animosity
