The basic principles of negotiations are: (a) That both party's needs are clearly articulated (b) That common ground is agreed on if possible (c) That negotiable elements are isolated from "Red Line" elements and resolved (d) That 3rd parties at arms length are invited to find solutions to remaining areas of conflict.
On this thread we are only getting one distorted portrayal of the war...Ukraine-Russian conflict which "avoids" qualifying all the variables in this conflict , namely: -Russia invaded the Ukraine ," stole Ukrainian land in its leader's quest to expand The Federation of Russia"
Instead, there should be a clear list of grievances from both sides which should be accepted as such. Then let the negotiations begin.
This war is crueling the Ukraine and its people without much real prospect of the Ukraine having its pre-2014 territory restored, IMO ; so logically the solution is a negotiated compromise preceded by a ceasefire.
Had this happened last year, then thousands of Ukrainian lives would have been saved, and further thousands of severe war casualties would have been avoided not to mention the billions of $s saved which could have went into repairing at least some of the war damage.
And to those who say that all this human sacrifice is justified for the sake of territory and national egotism well good luck with the death cult.
Lets look at the extreme: Supposed that Russia Nuked the Ukraine , killed all its people except a handful. but were compelled to return all Ukrainian conquest land to the Ukraine.....would that sacrifice be justifiable for sovereignty/freedon's sake?
Now lets take the other extreme: If magically that the Ukraine was restored to its pre 2014 status but was absolutely prohibited from joining NATO & the EC ....no deaths and destruction.....would that be acceptable?
We now have something in between without a credible resolution in sight so long as the current belligerent leaders and their backers are calling the shots.
And for those with a death wish , there's an answer: -That NATO waives its membership requirements and accepts the Ukraine into NATO immediately; then we have WW3.....a NUKE war.......good night nurse!
