Russia and Ukraine: Both Deadlocked.

As we creep nearer to the new year Russia and Ukraine appear to be in a stalemate. According to a Ukrainian statement "Ukraine cannot make progress on the battlefield but neither can the Russians".

Russia in order to break the deadlock may call more men to the front. Russia this year has taken a battering from Ukraine. Ukrainian forces fighting for their freedom and armed with the best Western weapons have inflicted heavy losses on the Russians. In retaliation, Russia has hit civilian targets in Ukraine with missiles and drones.

The deadlock from the Ukrainian side comes not from a lack of enthusiasm. Or the fact the Russian army has got better weapons. It is a fact that Ukraine needs more cutting-edge weapons from the West. With that in mind, President Zelensky flew to the US for talks with President Biden.

How successful Mr. Zelensky was in getting more weapons from the US will remain to be seen. No doubt, the UK and others will undoubtedly want to supply Ukraine with modern weapons and training. It is in the West's interest to see Putin fail and fail big time in Ukraine. However, there may be a fork in the road between Mr. Zelensky's aims and what the West wants.

Mr. Zelensky wants to liberate the whole of the country. In contrast, the West may wish the Ukrainians to compromise on territory captured by the Russians. Rumours are abounding that the Americans and others may want a peace deal that might include Ukraine accepting that Russia may hold onto the Ukrainian land it has captured. It's probable the Americans have been chatting with the Russians behind Zelensky's back. How all this will pan out is any ones guess.

Mr. Zelensky knows he can battle against the Russians on his own. But how long could he last without Western support? This will be the question in Mr. Zelensky's mind should he defy the West. If they wish him to compromise with the Russians on the captured territory.

The Russians are rumoured to be launching another invasion by way of Byelorussia. Just as they did back in February of this year. We all saw how that failed at the gates of Kyiv. Russia had to trim its sails and instead capture and hold onto land captured in the east of Ukraine. Formerly making it Russian land by way of votes. Though many of course suspect these votes were rigged. As most of the votes voted to join Russia. That said many ethnic Russians do live in eastern Ukraine. But that doesn't mean all of them wish to join Russia.

Will Ukraine get those weapons and if so will it break the deadlock? Will Russia call up more men and get more weapons from Iran to also break the deadlock? Usually in a war when two sides cannot make headway they consider other strategies or peace talks. Will this be the case with the Russian-Ukrainian war?

The First World War was deadlocked until the Americans joined in 1917. The Iran-Iraq War became deadlocked until peace talks brought this war to an end. During parts of the 2nd World War, in Vietnam, many conflicts have known deadlock. Deadlock happens in all walks of life. You see it in sports games like soccer where both sides cancel each other out.

Occasionally, something happens to break that deadlock no deadlock lasts forever. Historically one could argue that North Korea and South Korea are in a permanent deadlock. Since the war ended on the 38th parallel. If Saddam had not been removed from power the West and Iraq might still be in a deadlock. Such is the ebb and flow of warfare and all that pertains to it.

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Russther