As i was running out the door to head for my sabbatical, i thought of one last comment.
Offer Putin and Zelenski the Nobel Peace Prize for cutting the deal. Let those two "alone" be recognized for their decisions. After all, when it comes down to it, that is the truth.
Putin could be actually responsible for "world peace" and recognized for it. Go figure. How would that look upon one's legacy?
I'm not sure either is truly interested in peace at the moment. Putin would rather destroy Ukraine than admit defeat - a "if we can't have it, no one can mentality."
Meanwhile, Russia has bullied, threatened and picked away at Ukraine for years. Now to everyone's suprise, including Ukraine's, they are winning. Why quit now? They can take back all the land they lost, even the Crimea. While humiliating and decimating Russia's army to the point where they won't be able to be a threat again for perhaps a generation.
There simply isn't enough interest/reason to pursue peace at this moment.
There should always be, regardless of the moment of time, enough interest/reason to pursue peace.
Interesting idea. Though I don't love the thought of offering a tyrant the nobel price for ceasing his mass murder. What's next? Giving serial killers a medal once they are arrested and no longer kill?