Potential concessions are complicated by the fact neither Putin nor President Joe Biden wants to be seen as backing down before either domestic or foreign audiences. For Western analysts, it seems a situation in which Putin will have to compromise if conflict is to be avoided. They have cast their demands as an “absolute imperative” and have argued that the Western failure to meet them makes talks on other issues irrelevant. And he insisted that it’s the US that’s formulating the position in talks while other allies just march on its orders. “Anyone who thought that NATO was no longer relevant to European security has been taught a lesson in the last few months.

Source: Egypt Independent January 15, 2022 09:34 UTC