Russia-Ukraine war at a glance: what we know on day 609
GuardianMAY 2023
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
While the West stands ready to support Ukraine, the front lines have not shifted in months and there are concerns about how many more troops the country can field for battle. Nothing is decided, and it's Ukraine's decision, but perhaps now is the right time to start thinking about how the war can be brought to a close.
Pro-Ukraine narrative
As Ukraine has made clear many times, it will not negotiate with terrorists who are illegally occupying the country's territory. Once Russia withdraws all its troops from Ukraine, only then can there be talk of diplomacy.
Pro-Russia narrative
As Russia has reiterated time and again, Moscow stands ready to have meaningful discussions with Ukraine and its Western allies to bring the war to a close. However, as Russia has stipulated, this peace is dependent on Ukraine not aligning with NATO.