Putin enables the lifestyle of Russia’s elite – until they lose faith, there is little hope of peace | Olga Chyzh

Better targeting of wealthy Russians’ ill-gotten gains abroad, combined with military defeats, might sway their loyalty

• Olga Chyzh is an assistant professor in the department of political science at the University of Toronto

A year into its war, Russia is not any closer to accomplishing its objectives in Ukraine. And yet, to the surprise of western observers, neither battlefield losses nor economic misfortunes have softened its initial demands of demilitarisation and regime change in Ukraine. If there is one thing that’s clear, even in the proverbial fog of war, it is that the end is nowhere in sight. Russia is not any more ready for good-faith negotiations today than on the first day of the invasion.

What makes the Putin regime so impervious to western sanctions? Why is Putin unconcerned with the human costs of war? And is there anything that would bring Russia to the negotiating table?

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from The Guardian https://ift.tt/ABZRxtO