Talk of Russia defaulting based on the fact the US is forcing a default is ludicrous. Why would Moscow give a damn, anxious they would be cut off from western capital markets, they are already cut off from?

It is akin to the optics that Ukraine forces evacuated Azovstal.

From Moscow's perspective if West continues to up the ante in terms of weapons provided to Ukraine there will be a rubicon crossed whereby they stop referring to Ukraine as special military operation and call it a war. Then West will see just how much they have been holding back.

Remember the demonisation of Maduro and the endless quest to remove him from office?

Washington is now going to allow US and European oil companies to restart operations in Venezuela.

Washington relies on our short attention span.

Open letter on our website written to Boris Johnson in August 2020.

It was that obvious back then what was coming.

The western characterisation of the Ukraine war not only doesn't change the outcome but increasingly is changing westerners attitudes towards how their governments and media are being economical with the facts on the ground.