Mutual Delusions Hamper Any Endgame in Ukraine War

Anatol Lieven argues that hardliners on both sides and much of the Western media cling to fantasies of a quick victory or decisive breakthrough, but the Ukraine war has settled into a costly stalemate over a small Donbas strip with little chance of rapid transformation; he warns that without reanimated détente and flexible diplomacy, the risk of miscalculation or escalation remains high and a negotiated peace will require painful concessions many leaders resist.