The US and Russia's Desperateness to Avoid a War

Both sides are so deeply committed to winning that it's hard to imagine them negotiating any kind of meaningful peace agreement. The Russians want to make sure Ukraine ends up as a dysfunctional rump state and cannot become a viable member of NATO at any time in the future. I think what the Russians will end up doing is cleaving off a huge chunk of Ukrainian territory, and then going to great lengths to keep Ukraine in a terrible political situation.