While I would not go to extremes, I do most certainly believe there is quite a gap between fiery statements and actual actions.
Partial SWIFT block, sanctions with loopholes and tiptoeing around energy sector the best EU/US can. They do try to help out, but in the end West interests are first and Ukraine is far off second.
I also think this military aid is both too little and too late. It should have happened a month ago and thrice the amount.
And while I'm thinking about Germany - the legacy of Merkel will be that of a total failure to prepare Germany for the world where tanks, aircraft and missiles do, in fact, matter. Abject failure in energy, military and even diplomatic policies.
I for one welcome the continued decline of German power in the continent.
I'm saying that Russian state television is shady as fuck. I'm also saying that the people have seen the actions of Putin over the past decades, and the Russian government couldn't hide it all. Russians have access tot he outside world, and have long cheered Putin on.
Ignorance can only be a defense for so long. Look at the vast majority of Russians from this very site. They were clearly able to see what Putin does, and they have spent years and years shilling for him.
Whatever China does or does not do, nothing will save Russia from financial ruin except the, lack of, actions from the US/EU/UK.
Russia isn't just going to change the structure of it's economy overnight. After Crimea Putin did order some changes in preparation for future conflicts but we are still seeing how much damage sanctions can do because you real life isn't a Sims game.
I think there is a bit of copium going on with this.
Sanctions that are put up can be eroded and bypassed overtime or partially lifted with various behind-the-curtains deals that are bound to happen.
Right now there is a lot of kneejerk reactions going on, but will it actually last any sort of significant time or become Crimea 2.0 - only time will tell.
And heck when you look at the sanctions themselves - they are far from being AS comprehensive as one would hope. Russian source of their wealth and gall is not very touched.
Zelensky still demands for full withdrawal of Russian troops from everywhere including Crimea, This basically means a surrender for Russians right?
Is this realistic considering that Russians control a decent amount of territory inside Ukraine and have the means to continue this war?
I suppose this guy has decided to sacrifice himself in a leonidas fashion.
Will he still demand it in two weeks when half the Ukraine is rubble? That's the problem here.
Russians have the bigger gun in these whole negotiations. Sanctions-shmanctions is not of concern for them right now.
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Besides it's negotiations, you don't come to negotiations with huge concessions day one.
These talks were duplicitous from the start. Kremlin will never back off from what they have - accepting any Russian demands would be the political (and possibly actual) death of that entire political establishment in Kyiv. And boy does Kremlin want that. Kremlin loves dictators in their satellites - stable, predictable. Unlike democracies, which can and do change policies on key issues.
And Kyiv could not refuse. No way.
Here's a bit. I know Russian so I can verify.