The problem with making threats and not living up to them is that the next time when you make a real no-$hit threat they may not take you seriously. Realistically, I doubt that Putin would even survive politically if - after taking a million casualties - he gave everything back like Zelensky is demanding. Nor would replacing Putin guarantee someone even worse might not take his place.

I’ve never been really convinced of the efficacy of sanctions. We’ve been sanctioning Cuba for about 65 years - to little effect. And I doubt we’d do secondary sanctions on China in any event.

I have repeatedly opined that the only way the Russians leave the internationally recognized borders of Ukraine is either US boots on the ground in Ukraine or the use of nukes, with all the inherent risks of either of those courses of action. Yet Zelensky continues to demand every square meter of his soil back and the Europeans egg him on. I would predict that Trump will now have a serious come-to-Jesus meeting with Zelensky and if Z-man doesn’t acknowledge reality he will cast him adrift - still willing to sell the Europeans anything they want to donate to Ukraine - but basically telling Ukraine and Europe alike that it is their problem.