"Vladimir Putin is testing the waters on whether the U.S. is ready to engage in talks for ending Russia’s war in Ukraine,” Bloomberg reports.

“He’s put out feelers to the U.S. via indirect channels to signal he’s open to discussion, including potentially on future security arrangements for Ukraine, according to two people close to the Kremlin.”

“Hints of Russian openness to talks — even if disingenuous — could help sow division among Ukraine’s allies, isolating Kyiv and undermining President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s efforts to win support for his own peace formula, which calls for full Russian withdrawal.”

  • BombOmOm@lemmy.world
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    10 months ago

    Russia wants to end the war since they have gotten themselves into a boondoggle. They don’t even control major cities they claim to have annexed. No, Russia’s quick victory is now a multi-year war of attrition and they want to stop now as they continue to see the devastating losses mount. Just in the last day Russia lost hundreds of men, dozens of tanks, dozens of APCs, and dozens of artillery units:

    • Womble@lemmy.world
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      10 months ago

      If Russia was in a strong position now there would be no point trying to negotiate now when theres a 50:50 chance trump is in power next year and massively strengthens their hand.

      • Rapidcreek@lemmy.worldOP
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        10 months ago

        There’s the good question. The US and EU are really close to taking the 400 billion of Russian money currently frozen in Western banks. That could have something to do with it.

        • The Snark Urge@lemmy.world
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          10 months ago

          Previous cease fires have only been used to gather for another attempt. There’s also no reason to suppose they mind these casualties; their meat grinder tactics are intended to generate horrifying losses, specifically to demoralise.

          • FuglyDuck@lemmy.world
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            10 months ago

            Yeah, the problem with that though is it cuts both ways.

            A lot of civilians- specifically widows and mothers and babuskas… want their husbands and sons and grandsons home; but they haven’t been told all that’s left is some burnt teeth and ash.

            • The Snark Urge@lemmy.world
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              10 months ago

              I never said it was right, just that disregard for human life is a very traditional and continuing aspect of Russian military doctrine. It’s important to understand that Russia has been grim as fuck since… At least as far back as Ivan the Terrible.

            • NoIWontPickaName@kbin.social
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              10 months ago

              Can I just say how much I love the fact that babushka took the place of grandma in that.

              All English till right there and it just fits so well

              • FuglyDuck@lemmy.world
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                10 months ago

                it’s well known that you don’t mess with Babuskas.

                even more so than other varieties of grandma.

          • Wodge@lemmy.world
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            10 months ago

            The meat grinder worked back before the days of tiktok and the like. News would get back to Moscow minus the horrific death tolls, nowadays everyone can see what’s actually happening.

            This war ends with Putin dragged into the streets and his remains being hosed down into the sewer.

            • The Snark Urge@lemmy.world
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              10 months ago

              I don’t know if microblogging is going to save the day here. Russia rarely does anything besides get worse.

            • shalafi@lemmy.world
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              10 months ago

              That would end the war, but Russia will quickly put another gangster in charge. Those people have forever been, and forever will be, unable to self-govern.

      • ghostdoggtv@lemmy.world
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        10 months ago

        The thing Putin wants to avoid is NATO realizing they are much stronger actually united than dependent on American weapons manufacturers and then building up their own production capacity.

      • GBU_28@lemm.ee
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        10 months ago

        That’s not how negotiating must work.

        Putin can negotiate now, thus validating trump “peace keeping” if elected. He can say “ice been trying for a year, save me trump, pull out?”