
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Events are moving quickly in terms of Ukraine. ; As the Biden administration has correctly noted, Putin now has everything he needs at the border to mount a major invasion. But as the White House has repeatedly said, there is still time for diplomacy. ; According to Associated Press, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov ;– Putin’s top negotiator – is said to have advised his boss that there is still the possibility of a diplomatic solution.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">So, what has changed?</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Weeell … after publicly rejecting all of Putin’s demands, there appears to be a bit of softness in the Biden position. ; Putin had demanded that Ukraine and every other nation he deems to belong to Russia be barred from ever joining ; NATO. ; He wants NATO to draw back its defense to the 1990s level &#8212; prior to the fall of the old Soviet Union. ; He wants no western military in any of the non-NATO nations.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Other than a promise to not invade Ukraine at this time, Putin offers nothing in return. ; Why the United States has not put the return of the Crimea and the withdrawal from the Donbas Region on the negotiating table is a mystery – unless you consider weakness and incompetence.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Now … according to Lavrov, the United States is willing to consider some concessions – including limits on NATO missile deployment, restrictions on military drills in Eastern Europe and what was described as “confidence building measures” – whatever that means.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Should Biden &#8212; and ergo NATO &#8212; concede to these demands, Putin will have won a huge victory. ; His seizing of the Crimea will be that much more confirmed by international acquiescence. ; He will still be able to push in an internal civil war in Ukraine through the Donbas Region and there will be no curtailment of cyber warfare. ;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Most importantly, Putin has the option to take up the invasion scheme again in the future. ; There will be no agreement from Putin to accept Ukraine as an independent nation and honor its borders.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">It is said that if you ain’t winning, you’re losing. ; So far, Biden has been losing big time – largely because he threw away all the aces in his hand.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">So, there ‘tis.</p>

Ukraine update: Putin winning?
