Indeed NATO (keep the US in, the Russians out and the Germans (EU now) down) is the problem*. Former PM of France, General De Gaulle knew this and kept his country out of NATO for decades. He also openly challenged the dollar hegemony** so the US helped to try and kill him.

The big question is how many men are the Ukrainians prepared to lose in a long war of attrition? Especially as the option of a demilitarized zone*** is now on the table. They chose the Normandy format wisely and kept the warmonger US out. The challenge for Ukraine now is Zelenski. Is he going to adapt to the new reality or is he already addicted to his 15min of fame (or bought by the US) that he becomes part of Ukraine's problem on the road to peace?

* a huge problem > https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202301/1283655.shtml

**https://scholarship.law.columbia.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3545&context=faculty_scholarship

*** http://johnhelmer.net/the-ukrainain-demilitarized-zone-negotiations-start-at-dead-end/