This is a very interesting Double Down News video with Anatol Lieven that makes a refreshing change from the usual MSM propaganda about the Ukrainian conflict and worth watching to the end.
An interesting point raised in the video is that maybe Ukraine would have been better off just to let go the pro-Russian, Russian-speaking part of the country (i.e. the Donbass) and focus on building a 'true' Ukrainian state in what is now western Ukraine dominated by nationalists, speaking only Ukrainian and celebrating its own 'heroes' like Stepan Bandera?
But one can guess why this solution would not have been popular with the EU in particular, as Ukraine would essentially become a new and rabidly right-wing state on its borders, something the EU could never tolerate - after all it had enough trouble with Hungary and it's unlikely that Poland would view such a development with satisfaction.
And of course all the EU support for Ukraine would be negated at a stroke and EU leaders left with some distinctly smelly egg on their faces.
The Dissident has also reported on new information about the failed Istanbul peace talks:
https://the307.substack.com/p/new-details-emerge-on-the-istanbul
New Details Emerge On The Istanbul Russia/Ukraine Talks Of 2022.