I do have an idea how it would be. This is what CIA boss Burns says today: https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/worl...use-nuclear-weapons-says-cia-chief/ar-AAWffgf Burns added that the US has not seen "a lot of practical evidence" of actual deployment of nuclear weapons. "We're obviously very concerned. I know President Biden is deeply concerned about avoiding a third world war, about avoiding a threshold in which, you know, nuclear conflict becomes possible," said Burns. Russia possesses tactical nuclear weapons. Such nuclear weapons are less powerful than the nuclear bomb dropped on Hiroshima during Second World War. The escalate to de-escalate military doctrine of Russia would involve launching a first strike nuclear weapon of low yield to regain the initiative if things go badly in a conventional conflict with the West.
You sound as frustrated as the Russian that are humiliated by the Ukrainians. If Russia will not negociate and drop a lot of their demands, the war will go on and will become more painful for Putin. There is no way back, so negociations are the only solution. Putin's attempt is a FULL FAILURE till now. The only "success" he had is the killing of thousands of innocent unarmed citizens. Escalation will be horrible for BOTH sides. So also for Russia. I am afraid that there is no way out without a lot of damage on Putin's ego.
I am not frustrated. Ideally, I would like to live in peaceful times without the worry of WW3 nuclear hanging over our heads. To achieve this, there should have been mutual understanding and respect, specifically in the relations between the US and Russia. This wasn't possible to achieve, hence we have what we have. You can keep shouting from the rooftops how Putin is a war criminal etc., this just keeps your cardiovascular system working I guess, and achieves nothing else. The US wants to keep expanding its reach/influence, both military and economic, without consideration of Russia, so be it, this was never going to work out peacefully I guess. P.S. You clearly don't understand Russian mentality, even though you are married to one, I knew a few English chaps married to Russians, they didn't get it either, so no surprise there. Russians pretty much won the WW2 by themselves at a huge cost of life and once the ball starts to roll, the same will apply here. Fancy a punt? Be my guest
The first thing Russia should do is: Respect international laws and other countries. They do not. Invading other countries, using forbidden weapons, war crimes... Stop murdering innocent civilians. Respect their own people and be democratic instead of a form of manipulated dictatorship. Stop with 24/7 lying to their own people with fake news propaganda. Stop repression against their own people who are protesting against the war that Russia started. It is Russia who is causing all the problems. They are the agressor/invader. Russia only thinks about what THEY want, not what others want. Russia wants to stop NATO to grow. NATO grows because Russia threatens and invades other countries. Finland and Sweden want to join because RUSSIA IS THREATENING THEM. Russia feels not safe, so they install defensive systems. If Europe has the same worries they should first ask Russia if they can install their defensive system? Why should we do what Russia asks? Russia never asked Europe what they think about the Russia military installations. Russians think only about themselves, that's the problem. Several countries signed on dec 19, 1994 an agreement to respect each others country and not to invade the others. Russia signed it too, and Russia is the only one who did not respect the signed agreement. Russians want respect from others but don't feel obliged or rather ignore respect for others.
https://geopolitics.co/2022/03/13/ukraine-it-was-all-written-in-the-rand-corp-plan/#more-68142 "The strategic plan of the United States against Russia was elaborated three years ago by the Rand Corporation. These are the main lines of attack outlined in the Rand plan, on which the United States has actually moved in recent years. First of all Russia must be attacked on the most vulnerable side, that of its economy strongly dependent on gas and oil exports: for this purpose commercial and financial sanctions must be used... In the ideological and informational field, it is necessary to encourage internal protests and at the same time undermine the image of Russia outside. In the military field, it is necessary to operate so that European NATO countries increase their forces in an anti-Russian function"
"Former Russian Ambassador and Current CIA Director, Bill Burns, Knew Exactly What Would Trigger Vladimir Putin to Enter Ukraine. Two years ago, Burns wrote a memoir entitled, The Back Channel. It directly contradicts the argument being proffered by the administration he now serves. In his book, Burns says over and over that Russians of all ideological stripes—not just Putin—loathed and feared NATO expansion. On the question of extending NATO membership to Ukraine, Burns’ warnings about the breadth of Russian opposition are even more emphatic. “Ukrainian entry into NATO is the brightest of all redlines for the Russian elite (not just Putin),”" https://theconservativetreehouse.co...ould-trigger-vladimir-putin-to-enter-ukraine/
That presupposes that the reason Putin invaded Ukraine is due to talk about Ukraine and Nato. It isn't.