With respect to Ukraine: my impression is that Ukraine ( with Nato in the back) is being grinded by the well-established russian defense line. There is a recruiting problem and first nato members are trying to find a way out of this. Today Italy commented via its former PM Conte that ''Nato strategy is failing'' and sanctions are back-firing to the Europeans. Russia won't leave Crimea or Donbass, that's over. And I think Putin is bleeding the Zelensky regime out to negotiate with another group of representatives on the future of the country, nato presence and the exploitation of the massive gas fields in the black sea (which is all about in my opinion). Let's see how it's playing out. Winter is coming...