The same way anyone starts negotiating with anyone: open a dialogue and exchange demands, and then work to make concessions and compromises. They won’t do that, though, because then the infinite money spigot from the US will shut off because America doesn’t want this war to ever end.

I doubt Ukraine will demand anything less than Russia pulling out of previous held lands. Russia will doubtless demand all lands it currently occupies (and maybe even ones it claims but does not occupy). Russia's demand could be cast as peace, though really it involves giving a massive portion of Ukraine to Russia. And if you're thinking that might be temporary... well, just ask Finland, which lost 9% of its territory to a peace agreement in the Winter War.

They’d each have their own demands, and then negotiations would be finding a middle ground between “Ukraine gets everything it wants” and “Russia gets everything it wants”

Why should Ukraine have to make any conversations at all? Russia invaded and took land and lives, and you think Ukraine should just give up some of that, just cuz?

Because otherwise the war never ends.

Are you willing to fight to the last Ukrainian?

If I were Ukrainian, then fucking yes. As an American, also yes, because with proper support, Russia won’t win and it won’t come down to the last Ukrainian. If Mexico invaded the US, killed thousands of Americans, and occupied a bunch, you think just giving some of that up would be acceptable? Fuck that. Not only does sending munitions to Ukraine help them, it both hurts Russia which is great, and boosts the US economy and refreshes our arsenal. War sucks, but since it’s happening and we can’t stop it, we might as well help the good guys and benefit ourselves.

All of this ignores how past negotiations with Russia have taken place, and they reneged anyway. They can’t be trusted to hold up any sort of deal, so fuck em. Best case is that civil unrest ends the war first, but until then, the only good Russian invader is a dead Russian invader.

Support isn’t a substitute for infrastructure and training and institutional capacity, and those take years to build up. All we’re doing is throwing money and ammo and tanks on a bonfire.

I think you mean russia is throwing money and ammo and tanks on a bonfire.

Well that too, it’s why America is supporting Ukraine. They want Russia to bleed itself to death.

It doesn’t seem like it’s happening. It’s just an endless burning pit for everyone’s money.