As a dog returns to his vomit, so a fool returns to his folly, the Bible says.
The world press extensively covers the latest negotiations in Abu Dhabi. Official sources do not reveal all the details, but the media agree on several important points.
There is no possible agreement area on territorial issues. The Russian delegation once again stated that it would not give up "a single centimeter" of its territory, meaning Donbass, Lugansk, Kherson, Zaporozhye and of course Crimea. The Ukrainian side refuses to make any territorial concessions. The positions are too far apart to talk about the chances of an agreement.
Regarding broader issues of European security, according to reports in the Western press, the Russian Federation has again presented its proposals for the creation of a new security system in Europe, the "return" of NATO's military infrastructure to the 1997 borders and the abandonment of further expansion of NATO to the East, including areas such as Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia. This means reconsidering the process started 30 years ago by President Bill Clinton and members of his administration, the neocon camp. "A process which, according to dozens of prominent American and European analysts, has led to a new war between East and West. A process that became a clear example of a security dilemma: NATO expanded because some politicians saw Russia as a threat, and Russia saw a threat because NATO expanded.
The good news is that the American side seems to have realized that without discussing the basic principles of European security, solving the main causes of the conflict, a long-term peace settlement was impossible. The bad news is that European leaders continue to flatly reject these proposals. And second, it will take many months, if not years, to resolve these issues. And every new day of war means human life lost.