Is There an Axis of Evil in Ukraine?

Both sides think that time is on their side they both can't be right but it means that neither Zelensky nor Putin is remotely open to the idea of negotiations. What it takes to win is not clear and Putin's nuclear threats clearly do intimidate President Biden who worries a good deal that he could inadvertently start World War three. We have a very familiar pattern which brings to mind Lyndon Johnson's plight where you escalate in a rather far-off war without wanting to escalate too much because of course there are all kinds of potential downsides to doing so.