The Financial Times has found out that the United States has purportedly urged Ukraine not to hit Russian oil refineries and other energy infrastructure facilities, as it is concerned that this could lead to higher energy prices and further escalation.
All the commenters are missing the nuclear elephant in the room, whereas Putin has been perfectly happy shoveling the lower classes, young, and old, into the woodchipper that is the Ukrainian battle front, but he doesn’t have limitless patience, and does posses the worlds largest stockpile of nuclear weapons, and it’s been Russia’s belief since the 40’s that the United States got to use nukes TWICE against military/civilian targets, and they are owed at least one.
If you don’t believe or understand this, you are missing the greatest single factor in this war. Putin can allow Russia can be defeated in Ukraine, but it can’t be actually hurt on Russian soil, if you understand this, you understand why the US is making this request of Ukraine.
This isn’t a “war of gentlemen” but there are some rules that the United States is well aware of, and that’s gonna hamper Ukrainian efforts, but the alternative is gonna be worse, for Ukraine, and the rest of the world.
This is the game that’s being played.