patrick.net

RWSGFY says

Gaps, shmaps.... Meantime third month into The Great Dumb Ass Offensive and Ivan is still stuck fighting for the grand megapolis of Sieverodonetsk (pop. 100,000).

Ivan doesn't care about that city, except maybe having the excuse to leveling it, Grozny-style.

However, reports are emerging that the major European powers are attempting to make Zelensky realize that territorial concessions are a reality he must accept. It is likely that the European powers, despite the incessant pressure from Poland and the Baltic states, accept that Russia will achieve its goals in seizing all of the territory of Luhansk and Donetsk.

Until recently, the EU believed that sanctions would force Russia to end its military operation. Again, the realization has set in that sanctions, which in the interim will certainly remain and perhaps even intensify, will not deter Moscow’s determination from achieving its aims.

In this way, it would appear that Zelensky has no choice but to accept the new reality that Ukraine is once again becoming a territorially smaller country. Kiev appears determined to defy what the Europeans want – a quick conclusion to the war. Due to this, the war will remain protracted, something that the Biden administration wants.

Is this because this is all they capable of now - slowly taking villages WWI-style?