Here is Putinr’s blueprint for Russian Expansion in 2024.
He is awaiting US elections while he continues to build forces and capabilities in Belarus for an assault on the 3 Baltic states.
This is why the production of the majority of Russia’s T90’s are not being used in Ukraine. They have been headed for Belarus. Where many of the former Wagner group is assembled.
Why is this important to Putin ?
2 main reasons.1- An ability to project naval power in that region
2- Non-artic ice ports for exporting energy
Something he can not obtain in the sea of Japan because even that conflicts with China, Japan.
Peace ? According to the 1856 Paris peace accord, RU is not suppose to have a Navel base in Sevastopol.
According to the 1991 agreement, it was at Ukraine’s discretion.
Nobody is going to trust a peace plan except Russia because they intend to break it anyway.
It wants Crimea for the same reasons and will likely risk it all to keep it.
This will escalate, like a chess game, only the ponds have moved forward to allow room for the major pieces to maneuver.
Trump has been setting the stage for non US intervention for NATO members if Putin invades the Baltic’s. Right on cue.
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania know very well what life is like to be under Russian control and have been the strongest supporters of Ukraine in treasure up to this point.