Trump calls Putin and tweets favourably to start trade between Russia and US. Soon, things will start normalising. Trump may perhaps get a Nobel peace prize too for stopping this war (and that of India and Pakistan).
What is happening is "Reverse Kessinger".
At the height of cold war, China was playing second fiddle to USSR. US aggressively aided China in 1980s to put a wedge between USSR and China. That move worked in US favour. The architect of that Machiavellian move was Kessinger.
Now the tables are turned and China is the new USSR. So it is natural that the move is reversed. It is time to aid Russia and isolate China. So, "Reverse Kessinger" is going to be played.
It should now make sense to everyone that when Kessinger at the height of Russia-Ukraine war opined that Ukraine should cede territory to Russia and West should make concessions for them, then what was going on in his mind.
Unfortunately, beneath all this scheming, Ukraine is all set to be the biggest loser and a fodder to the big powers.
1. They will lose their mineral wealth to US.
2. Potentially cede territory to Russia.
3. Lose personnel to the war which was not theirs to begin with.
4. Debt trap where they will always remain dependent on cyclical IMF and other lenders bailout packages to resurrect their economy.
5. Probably will not get NATO status, perhaps a token status like "major non-NATO ally".
6. Gun culture where warlords and private militias will emerge and wreck Ukrainian society for generations.
7. A turmoil in political system where Presidential seat will become an open door culminating in a coup or something similar.
The war between Russia and Ukraine may soon be over. Putin will probably emerge winner and will soon get plentiful rewards as a result of Reverse Kessinger.
However, for Ukraine the real war has just begun. Their socio-politico-economic system will take generations to normalise. I can say that conveniently because I have seen this movie up-close playing out in Pakistan where Pakistan entered into Afghan war in 1980s. Like Ukraine, it was never Pakistan's war to begin with. The repercussions of that policy has wrecked havoc. Even after 40 years, Pakistan is struggling to normalise because of one fateful decision of Zia-ul-Haq.
I do hope Ukraine follows a different trajectory but as with any society, it usually follows a pre-destined path whenever these kind of incidents happen.