My prediction of how it's going to end for Ukraine

[bif]

Russia is going to continue to do as much damage as possible to Ukraine. Then, rather than continue losing lives, Ukraine will agree to give up it's eastern provinces. Peace will be reached until Putin attacks again down the road for another land grab. He won't be happy until he reunites the entire U.S.S.R.

[vlyons]

1. unless there's a Russian revolution against his regime

There's already a food shortage with people fighting in markets for food. What happens when real widespread hunger sets in? The oligarchs are not going to tolerate their assets being sanctioned indefinitely. High-level FSB may decide to get a new guy and put a bullet in Putin's brain.

[Buckeyeblue]

2. I think this is the only solution for normalizing Russian relations

And the new leader will have to talk about things like democracy and human rights, even though we know Russia will back-slide into some version of the same old, same old.

[Kablooie]

3. They will have to give Putin something to save face.

It’s the only way he will stop.
The Russian people aren’t allowed to know what’s happening. Only a small minority understand. They are told the west is responsible for new Russian hardships so there will be no revolt.

Once it ends the western companies will flood back into Russia and Putin will get the credit within Russia.

[FBaggins]

4. The last few weeks have made clear that he won't be reuniting the old USSR

He won't live long enough and his military lacks the capability to take/hold anything close to that much territory.

[Chuuku Davis]

5. Most russians support putin

[bif]

6. That's what their propaganda would have you believe

They have their own version of Fox "News".

[obamanut2012]

8. You literally have no idea if that's true

[MarineCombatEngineer]

9. No, that's false,

the older generation may support Daddy Vladdy, and that support is starting to erode, but the younger generation most definitely do not.