The fact that the russians have demanded less than before means that ukraine has succeeded, i think, beyond almost anybody's expectations so far. But it also shows you that yet again, there is a solution there for the taking, if only putin would take it. I never accepted this argument that he has to invade because ukraine wants to join nature. You don't start a war on the hypothetical possibility that someone might join a military alliance in ten or 20 years time. The reason we clamored to join nature was precisely because russia was already being threatening. It went against some guarantees that western supposedly made to russia in the early 19 nineties.