Welcome to Pushback. I'm Erin Mate.

Joining me is Richard Sokwa.

He is professor of Russian and European politics at the University of Kent.

His books include Frontline Ukraine and his latest deception, Russia Gate, and the New Cold War.

Richard, thank you for joining me once again.

My pleasure.

As we are speaking, we are nearly two months into Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

From your perspective, where do things stand right now?

At a moment, it's a type of stalemate.

There's movement on the battlefield, clearly the big battle for the Donbass is just about to get into full flood.

But no one seems to be inclined to move towards serious peace negotiations. All the parties

to the conflict believe that a continuation of hostilities will improve their bargaining position

in a long term.

Russia will seize more territory, I mean, possibly go as far as Odessa, but certainly

maintain that land bridge from the Donbass all the way through to Crimea, more, and the full

part of both the Lugansk and Danyetsk Oblasts, regions in the past.

Ukraine feels that with Western weaponry, it can push back the Russians and perhaps achieve some

sort of battlefield victory.

What is most interesting is that the United States, which usually, you know,

the Palestinian conflicts and Middle Eastern conflicts has always been involved very actively,

remember the shuttle diplomacy of Henry Kissinger, for peace at this state, it's notable by its

absence. And the implication is that the United States also feels that in one way or another

...