Deadlocked war subtly changes to Russia's detriment

Putin is less concerned about the regime’s survival than, for instance, the Iranian leadership, which refuses to moderate its ambitions in the talks with the United States, but is much more obsessed with personal safety. He finds the risks of taking responsibility for ending the war—and, by extension, for starting it—and for standing in the way of the peace process equally disturbing. Fear exacerbates his usual reluctance to make hard decisions, but procrastination only adds to the gravity of his political dilemma.