Diplomacy to prevent a war in Ukraine is bubbling beneath the surface

On the surface, diplomatic attempts to resolve the Ukraine crisis don’t look promising.

Approximately 130,000 Russian troops, not to mention Su-35 fighter aircraft, tanks, armored personnel carriers, air defense units, and ballistic missiles, are stationed on three separate parts of Ukraine’s border. Russian President Vladimir Putin has all but dismissed U.S. negotiating proposals as a slap in the face, claiming Russia’s core security concerns were “ignored.” The United States, meanwhile, is deploying 3,000 troops to shore up NATO’s eastern flank.