Reasonable accommodation with Russia was never part of the agenda, everything was made to ensure it was not going to happen by Nuland, Arestovich, Kholomoisky and co. Peace and prosperity for the locals pretty much goes against their tribal agenda.
I know he's controversial around here, but Vox Day had an interesting quick read today:
American former NATO Supreme Commander admits that Ukraine is in a proxy war with Russia, on behalf of NATO. Someone finally admitted it.
Apparently, GEN Breedlove was disappointed that he couldn't draw then-President Obama deeper into a Russia conflict years ago, as has been discovered through his hacked gmail account and reported by Vox previously. Not that Obama cared about peace, but I think he was much more JQ savvy than he let on and knew this was not a useful fight, at least at his time and place. He had a good gig - darling BIPOC leader of the free world. Largely victorious in his multiple foreign engagements, pathetic as they be. Winner of numerous Color Revolutions. Why get in an unnecessary fight with a real adversary? Throw Israel a few bones, bomb some of their neighbors, do it at low cost to US citizens, but actually fight a big power? No thanks.
What a spicy mix of Russia-haters: Cold War hangovers, pogrom-grudge-holding jews, "greater Israel" jews, Christian zionist dupes, half-baked neonazis, co-opted Ukrainian patriots, scared europeans that underfunded their NATO obligations for 50 years and are now exposed, stubborn Slavs that think they can strike a half-way deal with the West without selling their soul down-river, shady NGOs, and entrenched internationalist cronies. Did I miss anyone?
Bottom line: a high-ranking western man, in a position to know, finally admitted that Ukraine is our proxy. I wonder if some day a senior Ukrainian official will admit as much. Zelensky has implied it, with his rhetoric that he is fighting on behalf of world wide democracy, but has any Ukrainian official actually admitted they are the West's proxy?