Is Putin Betting On A Winter Gas Chokehold In Europe That Will Result In A Ukraine Peace Agreement On His Terms?

Andrew Osborn, Reuters: Analysis-Putin bets winter gas chokehold will yield Ukraine peace - on his terms 

LONDON (Reuters) - Cold winters helped Moscow defeat Napoleon and Hitler. President Vladimir Putin is now betting that sky-rocketing energy prices and possible shortages this winter will persuade Europe to strong arm Ukraine into a truce -- on Russia's terms. 

That, say two Russian sources familiar with Kremlin thinking, is the only path to peace that Moscow sees, given Kyiv says it will not negotiate until Russia leaves all of Ukraine. 

"We have time, we can wait," said one source close to the Russian authorities, who declined to be named because they are not authorised to speak to the media.  

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WNU Editor: The Russian leadership may want a quick end to the war, but for the past 2 - 3 months the Kremlin and Russian media narrative has been focused on telling Russians that this conflict is going to last a minimum of 2 years. Putin has calculated (correctly in my opinion) that time is on Russia's side.

The above Reuters analysis is correct that if Europe experiences a crippling energy crisis this winter, they have the power to tell Ukraine to capitulate and end the war or EU aid and support will end. Faced with such an option, Kyiv will have no choice but to sue for peace. But my gut tells me that the EU is going to stick it out. They have vested all of their credibility in a Ukraine victory that will be total and complete.