There’s a growing divide in Europe over what would constitute an acceptable conclusion to the Russia/Ukraine war. Macron is saying publicly what a lot of senior people say in private. https://t.co/5XIqEPEclI
— Gerald Butts (@gmbutts) June 4, 2022
Security analyist Michael Horowitz says:Macron says, once again, that he does not want to "humiliate" Putin. But unless Putin loses - and fully understands that he has lost- the war will not end. https://t.co/8P22WPBGct
— Anne Applebaum (@anneapplebaum) June 4, 2022
The main problem is not that Macron's call is "sheltering Putin from the sense that he is losing", but sending the message that Russia is, in fact, winning https://t.co/wNsBI5nUAU
— Michael A. Horowitz (@michaelh992) June 4, 2022
And Ukraine is winning. But I'm afraid that some in the West don't believe it -- or, perhaps, they are just swallowing Russian propaganda. Or worse, they are promoting it:The Russian gamble is that the West just can't bear even the slightliest crisis, whereas Russia can withstand sanctions, giving it ample time to break the West's resolve.
— Michael A. Horowitz (@michaelh992) June 4, 2022
Macron is not giving Putin an off-ramp, he is giving him a reason to persevere.
Obliterated / A whole Russian army has been destroyed at Izyum, Ukraine official reveals https://t.co/bhMrMUibIq
— Euan MacDonald (@Euan_MacDonald) June 5, 2022
The fighting in the city of Severodonetsk is becoming interesting; in my many years of urban warfare research I cannot recall any urban battle in history where such a large counter-attack by the defending force has occurred. A new precedent? @ChasAHKnight? @INTELonIRAN? https://t.co/stJqUJgR5N
— Jayson Geroux (@JaysonGeroux) June 4, 2022
As I mentioned this morning, if the Russians don’t try and move forward again soon, that might be it. Culmination. Actually failure is a better word. People talking about some important Russian victories in the Donbas might have to reconsider. Here is the report btw. https://t.co/s2kfw87qbb
— Phillips P. OBrien (@PhillipsPOBrien) June 4, 2022