'We consider it our right to use our weapons against the military facilities of countries that allow their weapons to be used against our facilities,' said the Russian president in a televised address from the Kremlin on Thursday November 21.
That’s the thing, Russia cannot de-escalate unilaterally. De-escalation requires both sides to want it. We know that neither NATO nor the current Ukrainian leadership want peace. They want everything else, no matter how unrealistic or unreasonable but they don’t want peace. That doesn’t give Russia much room. It’s options are to capitulate or continue matching the escalatory moves.
That’s the thing, Russia cannot de-escalate unilaterally. De-escalation requires both sides to want it. We know that neither NATO nor the current Ukrainian leadership want peace. They want everything else, no matter how unrealistic or unreasonable but they don’t want peace. That doesn’t give Russia much room. It’s options are to capitulate or continue matching the escalatory moves.
Exactly, and this means Russia has to walk a tightrope of avoiding WW3 while still achieving its objectives through force.