Not in Cards

I believe the goal of the leadership of the Ukraine at the onset of the Russian aggression was simply not to be conquered entirely. This Ukrainian objective was obtainable and worthy. Then pressure from the West that was tiring of donating so much money came for the outnumbered and outgunned forces of Kyiv to go on the offensive. When Zelenskyy had secured relatively defensible lines and could declare a stalemate with Russia a "win", the United States and other so-called allies insisted Ukraine attack. Victory over Putin had previously been considered maintaining territory and not allowing the entire nation to fall to Russian forces, which Ukrainian heroism had accomplished, but to move forward assaulting superior forces in prepared positions that were and are ultimately backed by the largest nuclear arsenal on earth was foolhardy and self-defeating. Ukraine had squandered so many men in the process that now they may not have enough forces left to thwart a Russian counteroffensive. The Ukrainians should not have bent to Western coercion to launch what turned out to be suicide attacks. They of course wanted all of what they perceived as Ukrainian territory liberated but never had the military capacity to beat stronger forces back, and by succumbing to America and anti-Russian backers aligned with Biden, they have made an outright loss by the Ukraine much more likely.