[Huntingwhale]

You are right in that the negotiations between Russia and US won't amount to much. More than anything it's for show so the russians can pretend they are still relevant and have a seat at the big boy table. I don't think it's anything more than that. While it parallels to what happened back in the 30s, IMO Zelensky and his team are smarter than the US and RU, have planned for this exact scenario, and aren't bitches like the Americans are. The Ukrainians have fight in them, arms, and are slowly but surely getting stronger on their own. The countries in the 30s that got carved up simply didn't have that kind of support Ukraine has now.

I meant it more in the sense that the ball is now fully in the EU's court. There is no doubt any longer that the fate of not only Ukraine but Europe rests in their hands and the US cannot be counted on. Unfortunately, said hands often move slow in various stages, and you have outliers like Hungary and Slovakia who can issue their veto vote, and have done so already. Heck, any country in the EU is susceptible to russian influence and can suddenly swing the other way. That is a fine line to walk. The requirement for a unanimous decision is one of the things that makes the EU as strong as it, but also what makes it weak in times like this.

Yes, a lot of it is public outrage and poor media reporting. But public opinion matters, and russia plays that game better than anyone. Just the perception of a slow-moving Europe (true or not) is detrimental to Ukraine's effort. There was a rumor recently about some massive game-changing aid package to the entire continent's defensive effort that would help to reshape things and they are waiting to announce it after the German elections on Sunday. Rumors have quieted down recently, so not sure if it was true or not. But having some kind of big breakthrough "kneejerk reaction" such as this would be a huge positive.