This opinion will be worth at least what it is costing you.

[Atticus]

The unprovoked slaughter of innocents in Ukraine can ONLY end in one of two ways.

EITHER someone in Russia will "remove" Putin and his cadre of hardliners and withdraw OR the new Ukrainian leader ---after President Zelinsky is assassinated and uncounted tens of thousands of Ukrainians killed by Putin's missiles, rockets and artillery---will agree to trade Crimea and everything east of the Dnieper river for a "ceasefire".

If Putin is still in power, he will have eastern Ukraine's natural gas and wheat fields plus access to a warm water port.

I hate it. It stinks. I hope I am totally wrong.

But, that's the way I see things today.

[brush]

1. That's what Putin wants but I highly doubt Ukraine will ever...

agreed to become a landlocked nation and have to pay Russia to export their crops which feed many countries.

I don't think the West will allow that to happen either.

[Make7]

2. ​

[brush]

4. Yes, the map shows the Black sea ports. Putin wants a land bridge...

from the east to be able to access Crimea and the Black Sea from the Dunbas region they've been warring for in the east for years.

[Make7]

6. I'm not sure how ceding everything East of the Dnieper would make Ukraine landlocked.

... the new Ukrainian leader ---after President Zelinsky is assassinated and uncounted tens of thousands of Ukrainians killed by Putin's missiles, rockets and artillery---will agree to trade Crimea and everything east of the Dnieper river for a "ceasefire".

That's what Putin wants...

... but I highly doubt Ukraine will ever agree to become a landlocked nation and have to pay Russia to export their crops which feed many countries.

[brush]

7. A land bridge from the east to access Crimea by land...

then further west to take over the warm water Black Sea ports and coast of Ukraine.

As it is now they have to access Crimea over the Kerch Strait which separates the small Sea of Azov and the Black Sea.

A land bridge would eliminate the trip around the Sea of Azov.

[Emile]

3. I really think the sanctions will devastate Russia and Putin will be assassinated.

[lagomorph777]

5. I don't think either will be assassinated.

Putin will be pushed out of Ukraine, and under his continued tyranny, Russia will slowly descend into a Medieval feudalist economy.

Ukraine will rebuild, partly funded by taxes on Russia's beet exports.