Ukraine avoided this fate when they defeated Russia's initial invasion. They have terms now that would in principle allow them to remain independent and not be a Russian puppet state.
What precise terms has RU offered ? We have some idea of what was offered in 2022, but what now ? Is "UKR demilitarization" off the table ? here is what I can find:
en.wikipedia.org
"
On 15 May, Russian and Ukrainian delegations held direct talks in
Istanbul for the first time since early 2022.
[356] On the meetings which continued 2 June delegations exchanged their largely incompatible negotiation positions and only agreed on humanitarian issues such as exchange of prisoners and bodies.
Vladimir Medinsky was leading a Russian delegation to a negotiation meeting with Ukraine in Istanbul. He demanded that Ukraine should allow Russia to keep the Ukrainian regions that were
occupied by Russia, and also to give up more land. He stated that Russia was prepared to fight the war for as many years as was necessary to achieve the Russian goals, and referred to the
18th century Russo-Swedish War, saying that it lasted for 21 years.
[357] On 3 June Dmitry Medvedev commented that the negotiations are "not for striking a compromise peace on someone else's delusional terms but for ensuring our swift victory and the complete destruction of the neo-Nazi regime".
[358]
As a condition of peace, Russia called on Ukraine to give up four partially
occupied Ukrainian regions that Russia had
annexed but not conquered: a territorial concession that Ukraine has repeatedly rejected. Russia further demanded that Ukraine must accept strict limitations on its armed forces, not be part of any military alliance, not receive any Western military aid, outlaw "nationalist parties and organizations", outlaw "
Nazi propaganda", grant
Russian the status of an official language, guarantee the rights of the Russian-speaking population, restore full diplomatic and economic ties with Russia, that neither side would demand any
reparations, and that all Western
sanctions against Russia be lifted.
[359][360] Putin rejected calls for an unconditional ceasefire and escalated attacks on Ukraine.
[361]
"
Seems to me to be pretty much the same as 2022.
Maybe once negotiations start in earnest, something in the details will prevent that, but what we have now is a deal that makes Ukraine neutral and demilitarized. Nothing about political subservience to Russia.
Demilitarization = subservience. The comparison to Czech.1938 cannot be overstated.
I'm reasonably confident he's pointing at the hypocrisy of crying about Russia blowing up a dam but mostly keeping quiet about Ukraine blowing up the Belgorod dam. Ukraine double-taps a civilian ambulance in Donetsk, and there's no outrage, but Russia hits one in Kherson and they're a terrorist state. This seems to be the main point he's making. Ukraine's behavior isn't substantively better than Russia's. Personally I'm of the opinion that it's substantively worse, minus the fact of the invasion itself.
Well that is a fair point. The damaged Belgorod dam lowered water levels by 1 foot in the reservoir, causing some flooding.
Russian authorities declared an emergency at a key reservoir after a series of Ukrainian strikes caused significant structural damage to a dam in the southwestern Belgorod region, officials said Monday.
www.themoscowtimes.com
The Kakhovka dam was completely destroyed, resulting in a far greater catastrophe with ~100 killed or missing.
I suppose if ones biggest complaint about this war is that western media is downplaying the effect of the Belgorod dam, then you can have that point. However, the magnitude and effects of the dam strikes are far different.
UKR is not completely innocent here when it comes to strikes on infrastructure and civilian targets. RU, however makes it a policy.
