What does Putin want?
Although I am not very well-versed in politics or economics (I prefer natural sciences, mathematics, and computer science), I am concerned about this idea, mainly promoted by the United States, that Ukraine has to cede territory to Russia for the war to end. I don't see a logical connection between these two things unless we assume a priori that Russia invaded solely to gain a bit of territory. But is this the cause of the war? Territory? Have our leaders asked themselves what Putin wants?
The obvious historical comparison is that of Chamberlain trying to appease Hitler by giving him territory. With a satisfied Hitler, there would be no need for a Second World War. This failed for a simple reason: what Hitler wanted was precisely war. There was nothing that could appease him (there never was) because war was his greatest desire. The reason Hitler demanded territory and other things was that he wanted them to be denied, so he would have an excuse to attack. And this was no secret: it was all written in his book! When someone tells you who they are, believe them.
That's why I ask again: What does Putin want? It seems he wants an empire. He has told us this several times. And empires are not built through peace but through conquest. That's why allowing him to keep Crimea in 2014 achieved nothing. A decade ago, we were also told that Crimea would appease him and end the conflicts, and here we are today. If we were to give him another part of Ukraine today, I believe it would only pause the invasion for a while. Russia would pretend everything is over, rearm itself and, when ready, attack again.
Of course, as an amateur in politics, I could easily be wrong. But no one has been able to give me a justification for why Putin would be satisfied with a bit of territory. It is assumed a priori and taken as obvious. Probably because most people find it hard to understand that someone might want war. But it's a mistake to project ourselves onto others. We must look at what the other person does and listen to what they say. And when that person tells us who they are, we must believe them.