News from China re Russia and Ukraine.
The Russians have noted that have no intention of stopping the war until the government of Ukraine changes, and they expect that to happen in July, 2024.
As Zelensky can't be negotiated with, they'll negotiate with his successor, and that new aspiring government.
There's a lot of untapped gas and oil in the Eastern Provinces, heaps that hasn't been able to be extracted due to the long time war-status that goes back at least ten, 15 years.
A joint venture would be best to make those fields profitable for both Russia and Ukraine...perhaps with a Chinese Oil & Gas Company, Sinopec...the biggest oil company on earth, managing the show, a 3 way split, with most shares going equally to Russia and Ukraine, but China will need to be there, managing, and being well compensated, for the sake of general fairness, as both Russia and Ukraine will never trust each other, and both for good reason. They need a permanent profitable mediator.
Apart from that, Russia will keep the Crimea and the Eastern Provinces, and hand back the Southern seaports for the huge Ukrainian world grain trade.
Everyone makes a profit.
Peace is better.
Ukraine wont join the EU or NATO. Too corrupted already. They're not wanted, and for very good reasons.
The grand cache of weapons Ukraine keeps acquiring will be well desired in many unstable African states. Another very profitable export.