I suppose you can't doubt that something exists.
Not exactly informative, though, hardly a fantastic epistemic discovery/development or grand philosophical innovation.

Can you doubt that this is English?
Not really, which is a bit more informative.
I suppose, however unlikely, that an alien could happen to find it a description of a comet they're in the vicinity of, not knowing English in the first place.

This: Thoughts therefore exist. (← A more accurate version of cogito ergo sum.)

Would it not be a matter of who voters vote for?
That's assuming voters are most of "the people".
Of course voters can be poorly or well informed or be invested in some way, and candidates have varying resources for campaigning, and resourceful haters can launch smearing campaigns, etc, which can muddle things up.
Yet, suppose a majority decides to vote for Jane Doe 'cuz she cool (like the best of Jefferson, Lincoln, JFK, Carter), or something.
Jane Doe is among "the people" and voters, not somehow apart or isolated therefrom.
Barring something odd, Jane Doe would then become president, and could push those cool things, because the voters picked her and employed her to make it so.
In principle at least, voters decide, so that's where such powers lie, and where efforts could be directed?
Government leadership (like Jane Doe) has the responsibility of doing the (cool) things they said they'd do, right?

Increasing wildfires are likely partially + cumulatively caused by climate change, and are bound to have a climatic effect in turn.

As the wildfires in Canada continue to shroud much of the midwest in a thick haze of smoke, New Yorkers are preparing yet again for the smoke to make its way further east. — The Guardian · Jun 27, 2023

Based on data from the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, there are 480 active fires in Canada: 252 are out of control, 77 are being held in place, and 151 are under control. — GPS World · Jun 28, 2023

Smoke from Canadian wildfires has reached Europe — Euronews · Jun 28, 2023

Data also shows that Canada has experienced 11,598 fires during the first seven months of this year alone. This is a 705% increase compared to fires detected over the same period of the previous six years. Canada is currently battling the country’s worst wildfire season on record, with more than 10 million ha of land burned, which is said to increase in the coming weeks. — GPS World · Aug 4, 2023

Lots of :fire: this year. Will this become a new norm of sorts?

Copernicus EFFIS (interactive)
NASA FIRMS (interactive)

In continuation from an Aug 17, 2023 comment...

Bulgarian minister: 'We cannot rule out' clash between NATO, Russia in Black Sea
^{— Martin Fornusek · The Kyiv Independent · Aug 18, 2023}

We cannot rule out such an option. We are working to prevent it. Russia constantly provokes NATO. — Todor Tagarev

... Sea, ground (e.g. Wagner), air, public statements.

:/

Just another day in Ukraine.

Seven dead including six-year-old girl as Russian missile hits center of Ukraine’s Chernihiv city
^{— Maria Kostenko, Sarah Dean, Sophie Tanno · CNN · Aug 19, 2023}

A Russian missile hit right in the center of the city, in our Chernihiv. A square, the polytechnic university, a theater. — Zelenskyy

Ukrainian air force reportedly shot down 15 of 17 Iranian-made Shahed drones overnight. ("sitting ducks with some repellent")

Not military target.
Plain intimidation (however deadly)? Spite?
One target-picking method has been reported before: Jun 28, 2023.


(nah, don't expect insurance to cover the damaged cars :grin:)

@NOS4A2

Some have suggested going more or less in the opposite direction than what you suggest.
That's assuming you suggest no state, government, taxes, all that, which I might have misunderstood.
For example, in order to deal with climate change, pollution, environmental concerns, etc, worldwide cooperation (or policing) of some sort might be needed.
Then again, I'm not quite sure what your idea is (apart from some things you seemingly detest).

By the way, individuals may live, say, 100 years (optimistically); outside of that, it's not really meaningful to speak of them (me) reaping the fruit of their (my) labor, or ownership of anything.
Subsequent generations may however "reap the fruit" of climate change, pollution, etc.
Would such concerns be irrelevant in the name of radical individualism (anarchy of sorts)?

2,001 respondents throughout non-occupied Ukraine aged 18 or older took part in the survey

Analytical report based on the results of WAR, PEACE, VICTORY, AND FUTURE SURVEY
^{— OPORA · Jul 27, 2023}

78% of Ukrainians share the idea that all Russians are accountable for the aggression against Ukraine :/ (bad, and differs from how Zelenskyy has pointed at Putin + team explicitly — growing hate)

70% of Ukrainians consider it crucial for all the territories to be liberated from the enemy to call it a victory in the war

57% of Ukrainians want to punish everyone who was directly involved in planning, approving, arranging, and committing the war crimes

68% of Ukrainians think that the prosecution and punishment of the criminals should be subject to the national and international laws

95% of Ukrainians expect that the state will insist on Russia compensating for the losses caused during the war

40% of Ukrainians believe that reparations will actually be paid (that seems optimistic, yet many Ukrainians are optimistic in other questions as well)

Drennan opines:

Only one thing will bring Putin to ceasefire: Crimea
^{— Patrick Drennan · The Hill · Aug 17, 2023}

At least a fairly straightforward account of what's been going on.
Worth adding that Stalin (in office 1922-1952) paved the way rather effectively by replacing locals with Russians in Crimea (called ethnic genocide/cleansing by some). ^{1, 2, 3, 4}
Incidentally, Mearsheimer and Drennan agree that Crimea is important to Putin.

:) (where's that photo from anyway?)

Conversely, Ukraine had (and has) international and domestic monitors. I guess that would end if they were to be assimilated by Russia.

Russia opens a criminal investigation into a leader of a prominent election watchdog
^{— AP · Aug 17, 2023}

Nothing new I guess, "foreign agent" and "undesirable" have become go-to's for doing away with transparency and opposition. Regress. They're a democracy-monitor, how dangerous can they be?

Intensive military preparations are underway in the West; enormous sums of money are being invested in this. It is necessary to understand that, in the capitalist world, nobody will tie their assets up in [long-term investments in costly] weaponry and in beefing up the ranks of the army for nothing. So, one can make an unambiguous conclusion: The possibility of a direct military clash with NATO in the future is becoming more and more evident. — Viktor Khrenin · TASS · Aug 15, 2023

Well, considerable resources have gone to Ukraine. Weaponry production has been up'd here and there due to supplying Ukraine. (The providers haven't particularly moved toward wartime-alike economy.) Various democracies, the UN, and NATO officials have condemned the invasion and taken steps to help the defender.

It is no accident that the Republic of Belarus is considering returning tactical nuclear weapons to its soil as a potent element of strategic containment. — Viktor Khrenin · TASS · Aug 15, 2023

"A direct military clash" with Ukraine was already initiated by the Kremlin, which has consequences. :shrug: The Kremlin and Minsk are hardly the victims here. Should Belarus become a genuine democracy, where political opposition wouldn't have to be in exile, the situation would likely be different.

The sanctions announced today are in addition to sanctions previously imposed on 13 Belarusian individuals and entities, including Belarusian Minister of Defence Viktor Khrenin, who have played a role of significant strategic importance to Russia by allowing Russia to launch attacks from Belarus.
The Belarusian Government allowed Russian military forces to train in their country for weeks ahead of the invasion. Since then, it has allowed Russia to fire ballistic missiles from Belarus into Ukraine, enabled the transport of Russian military personnel, heavy weapons and tanks into Ukraine, provided refuelling points in Belarus for Russian military aircraft and stored Russian weapons and military equipment. — Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs · Mar 25, 2022

any aggression against Russia's neighbour and close ally Belarus would be considered an attack on Russia — Putin (paraphrased) · Reuters · Jul 22, 2023

Much emanates from the invasion; ironically, Putin's Russia has breathed some life into NATO. I suppose NATO and Russia/Belarus could still "clash" due to the invasion of Ukraine despite much tiptoeing. (And an attack on Poland Finland Lithuania Romania would be a "clash", for example.)

They're all right. Discuss the lot, too.

The sham referendums were engineered in Moscow. And imposed on Ukraine. In total violation of international law. This land grab is illegal and illegitimate. — Jens Stoltenberg (Sep 30, 2022)

I think that a solution could be for Ukraine to give up territory, and get NATO membership in return. It is important that we discuss this. It must be up to Ukraine to decide when and on what terms they want to negotiate. I'm not saying it has to be like this. But that could be a possible solution. — Stian Jenssen (Aug 15, 2023)

Trading territory for a NATO umbrella? It is ridiculous. That means deliberately choosing the defeat of democracy, encouraging a global criminal, preserving the Russian regime, destroying international law, and passing the war on to other generations. After all, why should Russia voluntarily abandon provocations, hybrids, and traditional behavior without losing? Obviously, if Putin does not suffer a crushing defeat, the political regime in Russia does not change, and war criminals are not punished, the war will definitely return with Russia's appetite for more. Attempts to preserve the world order and establish a "bad peace" through, let's be honest, Putin's triumph will not bring peace to the world, but will bring both dishonour and war. This applies to any format of a new "division of Europe": including under the NATO umbrella. Then why propose the scenario of a freeze, so desired by Russia, instead of speeding up the supply of weapons? Murderers should not be encouraged by appalling indulgences... — Mykhailo Podolyak (Aug 15, 2023)

, there are reasons for suspicion of involvement. Seems unlikely that the coup-doers would hail far-away Putin and wave Russian flags like so, out of the blue. Hating on the French is more expected; "smaller rebels" loathing "larger powers" is trendy, regardless of what the latter may or may not be doing (even if attempting to democratize), you can always find something. Or come to the aid of the former. That being said, should material evidence come to light that incriminates the Kremlin, I doubt it'll make much difference, they'll make something up or won't care. Most likely by proxies anyway.

, yeah, there are some effects: Russia’s central bank raises interest rates to 12% after the ruble plunges (Anna Cooban, Vasco Cotovio · CNN · Aug 15, 2023). I'm wondering how it's felt on the streets.

, there was briefly some speculation about Russia in that respect, but nothing further has surfaced (that I know of).

Bit of a contrast in terms of Russia here:

Niger coup (reports from Jul 31, 2023): CNN, Forbes (Russian flags)
Georgian protests (reports from Aug 1, 2023): BBC, Business Insider (simmering Kremlin-hate)

Maybe they should get together? :D

Anyway, while going over all this...stuff, I sure hope Putin hasn't had more warring in mind all along. — Aug 2, 2023

Russian flags, "Vive Putin", etc, in the middle of Africa? (contrasting Georgia) Hmm... :chin: Wagner is present ^{(Jul 6, 2023 ← check photos)}, there are well-known links, but no further material evidence (that I know of). Then Putin himself to the rescue:

Putin stresses need for ‘peaceful resolution’ in Niger coup in call with Mali leader
^{— Jessie Gretener, Uliana Pavlova, Duarte Mendonca, Larry Madowo, Vasco Cotovio · CNN · Aug 15, 2023}

By the way, some earlier get-togethers with African leaders didn't go quite as he may have preferred ^{(Jun 18, 2023; Jul 27, 2023)}.

, apologies, will try being more "fleshy". :) (After a while this stuff got so repetitive.) By the way, it was a response to this comment, but would be more appropriate in this thread. Maybe I'll move/take it up over there (again).

, the Mossad, the Israelis, they really blundered, eh? :D

^{• Russia’s Eliminationist Rhetoric Against Ukraine: A Collection
• Nov 21, 2022}

↪RogueAI Have you ever thought of joining the Azov Nazis? — Jack Rogozhin

Those people that went to Israel for an official get-together? Mossad must have blundered royally. (incidentally Aug 2, 2023) The Nazi thing is straight out of Putinist newspeak. No, Ukraine ain't ruled by a Nazi regime as they propagandize. Old. You know, answering a question with a question like so is kind of rude (deflection, dodging).

I'm not. — Jack Rogozhin

Yeah, you are. Just about verbatim.

Why are you a Russophobe? — Jack Rogozhin

I'm not. So, bare racism accusation. Tu quoque style at that.

but indicative of a Russophobia that our media and the Democrats (and many Republicans) have fomented in the last six years — Jack Rogozhin

Why are you parroting Putinist propaganda? :roll:

Putin has managed to create much hate ^{(May 26, 2023; Aug 1, 2023)} etc, not the least in Ukraine ^{(Aug 9, 2023)}. FYI, it's come up a few times before.

Confusing Russophobia and anti-authoritarianism/anti-Putinism verges on accusing everyone of racism.

I'll take the tedious task of ruling with an iron fist. — Nov 30, 2022

Well, maybe democracy and all that isn't worth putting up a fight for? (Such a sentiment would certainly please dictators, theocrats, and such, [...] — Jul 8, 2023

Yeh, it is.

In general, there's much to be said about democracy of course: technicalities, implementation, practicalities, ... A large topic in its own right. ^{(Nov 4, 2013; Feb 19, 2020)}

The Economist Democracy Index might be the most common of this sort of thing, and uses a handful of categories to assess a society's status. Others use different methods. Most (that I know of) differentiate autocracy—anocracy—democracy on some weighted scale / to varying degrees. Some societies haven't changed much over time, some have seen a sudden regress (← direction), some have moved slowly (e.g. → direction), etc. Anyway, various renditions/reports taken together can give an impression of what's (been) going on around the world:

Democracy
^{— Bastian Herre, Esteban Ortiz-Ospina, Max Roser · Our World in Data · 2013-}
The animated map that explains the world
^{— Zack Beauchamp · Vox · Apr 22, 2014}
Forms of Government, 2018
^{— National Geographic}
Despite global concerns about democracy, more than half of countries are democratic
^{— Drew DeSilver · Pew Research Center · May 14, 2019}
The Shifting Global Balance of Autocracy and Democracy
^{— Thomas Carothers, Saskia Brechenmacher, Staffan I Lindberg, Carnegie · Apr 8, 2022 · 56m:19s}
Mapped: The State of Global Democracy in 2022
^{— Raul Amoros, Nick Routley, Sabrina Fortin · Visual Capitalist · May 13, 2022}
The State of Democracy
^{— Martin Armstrong · Statista · Feb 17, 2023}
Mapped: The State of Democracy Around the World
^{— Avery Koop, Joyce Ma · Visual Capitalist · Apr 24, 2023}

For recent years and perhaps for some time to come, I'm expecting a drop (further), if mapped out later. (Check the African situation (thanks @ssu); Russia (apropos); Ukraine (apropos; Jul 23, 2023); Afghanistan (Dec 20, 2022; Aug 14, 2023); maybe Ecuador (sort of peripheral in this context); ...)

So, what the heck is the deal?

What, if anything, should be done?

Ukraine desperate for help clearing mines, says defence minister
^{— Daniel Boffey · The Guardian · Aug 13, 2023}

... Great lengths gone to install then remove mines. Seems almost absurd.

:

Source: Sirena Telegram channel, referring to the video message of Alexander Dudka, the so-called head of the village

And (as they incidentally point out) it's not the first such report.

Aug 4, 2023

( :grin: Ghosts ... Nov 18, 2022 )

Kherson is Crimea's northern neighbor.

Russians stop providing insulin to civilians without Russian citizenship in occupied village in Kherson Oblast
^{— Tetiana Lozovenko · Ukrainska Pravda · Aug 11, 2023}

Destabilize/insurrect, propaganda efforts, invade, bomb, threaten, reenculturation efforts, sham votes, annex, force citizenship, landgrab, ... Imperialism, enlarging the world's largest country.

Maybe it's worthwhile making explicit why more people leave/defect Putin's Russia, than the other way.

BBC News Russian: Russian officer flees to Lithuania and requests political asylum
^{— Meduza, BBC · Aug 11, 2023}

Mar 22, 2023; Jun 23, 2023

Some give their reasons, though they may just try to appease authorities at their destination, or not.

I suppose some overall/unspecific categories/reasons could be freedoms, justice systems, living standards, politics, regress, oppression, fear, ... Seems less likely that some would do so to spy for Putin's Russia or sabotage their destination, though it has happened in cases where, say, a ragtag group of refugees arrives at a border post.

Leaving/defecting/fleeing (either way) takes resources/resourcefulness that not everyone has, and of course it takes motivation/rationale.

US government sanctions Russians on the board of Alfa Group in response to war in Ukraine
^{— AP · Aug 11, 2023}

Wealthy Russian elites should disabuse themselves of the notion that they can operate business as usual while the Kremlin wages war against the Ukrainian people. Our international coalition will continue to hold accountable those enabling the unjustified and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. — Wally Adeyemo

4 billionaires (Aven, Fridman, Khan, Kuzmichev) further restricted. Businesses of Putinistas curtailed. Un/fair?

6 Western nations demand Russia return two regions it took from neighboring Georgia 15 years ago
^{— Edith M Lederer · AP · Aug 10, 2023}

A fifth of Georgia, a fifth of Ukraine (at the moment), ..., enlarging the world's largest country.

Dmitry Polyanskiy · Aug 10, 2023 (notice the X :grin:)

A couple or so continents Russophobic? :brow: Putinistaphobic, maybe, and not democracyphobic. Putin has managed to create much hate ^{(May 26, 2023; Aug 1, 2023)}, not the least in Ukraine. Sacrificed? The Ukrainians want to join the EU, were and are asking for help in repelling the invaders, etc. They said "No", and the UN concurs. Polyansky is repeating the scripted partyline, give it up already, "alternate world" type bullshit ^{(Mar 4, 2023; Jun 16, 2023; Jul 11, 2023; Jul 28, 2023)}.

FYI, old interview, journalist on the ground, diplomat in New York:

There is no ‘war’ in Ukraine, claims Russia’s deputy ambassador to the UN
^{— Krishnan Guru-Murthy · Channel 4 · Mar 29, 2022 · 13m:20s}



Re nukery: Oct 16, 2022 (e.g. @Jack Rogozhin)

Russia and Ukraine trade aerial attacks as Zelenskyy makes another move against corruption
^{— Samya Kullab, Illia Novikov, Emma Burrows · AP · Aug 11, 2023}

I'm not sure "trade" expresses how generous Russia has been. At least Ukraine has received some good air defense from others, though "sitting ducks with some repellent" is a precarious situation.


^{↑ Svitlana volunteers (Efrem Lukatsky · AP · Aug 11, 2023); is that an AK-47?}

, as mentioned, repeats, including regress/progress. :/ Yes, that's a fallacy :D (the linked one, this is a philosophy forum).

Hmm Getting into repeats. :/

They almost all do, or at least act as if they have that right. Look what's going on in Niger; France and USA are threatening and terrorizing it as if its their country. The US currently has bases there and in Syria, which they bombed as if it was their territory, and are stealing their oil. They did it to Iraq, Libya, and Afghanistan, too, and with the NATO--a supposedly defensive alliance's--help. They bombed Yugoslavia and cut Kosovo out of it with no respect for those borders at all. — Jack Rogozhin

France has miltary bases in Niger the country wants out, they have half their financial reserves in their bank, and they are crossing into Niger's airspace. That is imperialism and disrespect of borders, period. Anyone OK with that has no place complaining about Russia — Jack Rogozhin

↑ This would be a common fallacy.

It's been a while since Crimea was a part of Russia. It's been a legitimate part of Ukraine for a while. In 2014 Putin's Russia launched the land-grab. The UN concurs. "Period" (to use your word). But of course human rights should be respected in Crimea. And in Russia, Belarus, etc. Ukraine has to fulfill this and a few other things to be accepted into the EU. From memory, Ukraine has to be a transparent democracy to be accepted by NATO. Putin's Russia has regressed, Ukraine has progressed some (barring PTSD). Putin's supposed NATO-phobia has also been discussed (not sure I'm up to digging it all out).

Russia rightly doesn't consider Crimea taken land — Jack Rogozhin

Probably not that simple, and rightly isn't quite right. :)
But you're right that Crimea has had an increasing population of Russians.
Whether Khrushchev was wrong or not ^{("was carried out in accordance with the 1936 Soviet constitution")}, the previous ethnic cleansing was wrong.

Why Did Russia Give Away Crimea Sixty Years Ago?
^{— Mark Kramer · Wilson Center · Mar 23, 2014}
Shifting Loyalty: Moscow Accused Of Reshaping Annexed Crimea's Demographics
^{— Rostyslav Khotin, Rostyslav Khotin, Robert Coalson · RFE/RL · May 31, 2018}
Five years after Crimea’s illegal annexation, the issue is no closer to resolution
^{— Steven Pifer · Brookings · Mar 18, 2019}
Myth 12: ‘Crimea was always Russian’
^{— Orysia Lutsevych · Chatham House · May 13, 2021}

Stories from Zaporizhia:

‘We expected less resistance’: Ukrainian troops on southern front learn not to underestimate their enemy
^{— Nick Paton Walsh, Kosta Gak, Olha Konovalova, Florence Davey-Attlee, Brice Laine · CNN · Aug 9, 2023}

Hatred is very strong. — Julia (frontline medic)

:/

Russia has made clear only the Donbas is not on the table — Jack Rogozhin

Crimea?

Ough. Disgusting. What the heck is going on in Florida?

Videos denying climate science approved by Florida as state curriculum
^{— Oliver Milman · The Guardian · Aug 10, 2023}

PragerU...? Haven't watched this particular propaganda of theirs; might just be a waste of time.

, no, it wouldn't be stabilizing, and Putin presumably knows. (Not sure why you keep writing that.)

_{(You know how in certain subcultures there are certain things that cannot be said suggested questioned?)}

Impressive, sinister, disgusting:

Russia’s latest effort to sway young minds: High-school textbooks praising the conflict in Ukraine
^{— Ivana Kottasová, Uliana Pavlova · CNN · Aug 9, 2023}

As per Sergey Kravtsov:

Of course, we will supplement the textbook as soon as we win. As I said, we are already winning the information war, but the special military operation will end, and end with our victory, and, of course, we will supplement the history textbook. — RIA Novosti · Jun 23, 2023

The textbook on the history of Russia for the 11th grade reflects the causes and course of the special military operation, the reunification of the Crimea and Sevastopol with Russia, as well as the entry of new regions into the Russian Federation. — TASS · Aug 7, 2023

There’s been an increase in school indoctrination efforts through textbooks, the content of the curriculum and extracurricular activities in Russia from 2014 onwards. — Katerina Tertytchnaya

The state has everything on its side, it has money, it has bodies, it has the stick of being able to jail parents who oppose what’s happening in schools, it has the stick of being able to keep teachers quiet – but these opposition groups have none of that and therefore everything they do is a drop in the water against this great behemoth of conspiracy theories and nationalism. — Ian Garner

Putin consolidated powers and put Russia on a non-peace trajectory. Goes hand-in-hand with the reenculturation efforts that have come up in the thread. I'm guessing it'll work, at least to an extent, perhaps depending on what others do.
_{"War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength."}

, turning it into a nuclear war wouldn't stabilize anything, it'd be like a defcon 2 or 1 escalation (sort of, to use old verbiage).
I'm assuming the Kremlin knows, but might be wrong I suppose.
Or, do you think Putin is that spiteful (and mad)?
He'd jeopardize lots more than himself, and has been told so by more than one party on more than one occasion.
(For that matter, there's a chance it could lead to unrest within Russia.)
At times, Putin comes through as meticulously calculating.
Incidentally, in this respect, I'd be more worried about Kim Jong Un.

...

incentives and disincentives — unenlightened

... is a good place to start, wouldn't you say?

, losing out in Ukraine wouldn't destroy Russia, though it might be detrimental to Putin. Starting a nuclear war on the other hand...

Chellaney opines impatience:

Biden’s Ukraine strategy is failing
^{— Brahma Chellaney · The Hill · Aug 8, 2023}

Organise or fight? Three years in exile, Belarus opposition divided about path
^{— Agnieszka Pikulicka-Wilczewska, Mike Collett-White, Peter Graff · Reuters · Aug 8, 2023}

Without foreign support, would Ukraine take a Belarusian turn? Apart from assimilation, that might be ideal for Putin. At the moment, it seems some ways off. But some steps roughly in that direction have been taken.

as Russia could and likely would respond with nuclear weapons ... exactly why the policy has been to drip feed Ukraine weapons in a progressive and controlled manner that Russia can deal with without panicking (aka. win) — boethius

Why likely would? It would seem rather spiteful, certainly not good for Russia(ns). Making it a nuclear war over a fifth of Ukraine (or however much would be left) suggests that the world (not just that area) has a markedly larger problem with the Kremlin, something in need of attention now (politically, tactically/strategically, militarily).

The get-together apparently reflected the UN.

Ukraine calls Jeddah talks productive, Russia calls them doomed
^{— Pavel Polityuk, Hatem Maher, Angus McDowall, Barbara Lewis · Reuters · Aug 6, 2023}

We had very productive consultations on the key principles on which a just and lasting peace should be built. — Andriy Yermak

West’s efforts to make global South support Kiev's plan doomed to failure — diplomat
^{— TASS · Aug 6, 2023}

[The meeting in Jeddah is] a reflection of the West's attempt to continue futile, doomed to failure efforts to mobilize the international community, or more precisely, the global South, even if not entirely, to support the so-called Zelensky formula, which is doomed and unworkable from the outset. — Sergey Ryabkov

Kyiv doesn't want to talk with Putin (and repeats the UN). The Kremlin doesn't want to talk, just repeat demands. Doesn't look encouraging as far as talks are concerned.