"Though the Kremlin has long portrayed Ukraine's membership in NATO as a red line, there is no need to fear Russia's response to Kyiv's accession to the alliance," Paul Poast writes.
While many in the West see the outcome of the war as determined by military action and shifts in battlefield positions, in Ukraine, long term integration with the West is the most important goal.
While more Russians say Moscow should start negotiations than continue fighting, their aim may be to solidify gains rather than making real compromises for peace.
