Part 3/10:
Given the divergent views on victory, many experts speculate that a full and final peace agreement is unlikely. Instead, we might witness a scenario where a ceasefire essentially freezes the conflict, enabling Russia to maintain control over the territories without formalizing annexation. This outcome may appease European and Ukrainian perspectives to some extent but could provoke severe backlash from the United States, which does not desire to legitimize Russia's territorial gains.
The larger concern remains how such arrangements could impact international relations, fueling fears that future aggressor states might similarly ignore the rules of sovereignty if Russia's actions go unchallenged.