Russia really needs to understand I think Europe won't fold easily. They need to expand the SMO and take Kiev, put Zelenski and the other fascist war criminals of his regime on trial for crimes against humanity and make it clear that the fascist puppet Ukraine they said they'd support until the end doesn't exist and never will again if Russia can help it. Start negotiations from there.
Because European liberals seem even more delusional and fanatical than the ones in the US in their willingness to commit suicide for the US and I think there is the possibility too many here and possibly in Moscow underestimate the amount of pain enough of the European population will suffer.
Quite frankly the US and Europe are determined to make Ukraine a quagmire. Russia cannot simply achieve peace and independence for the breakaway republics as the Ukrainians will never stop getting arms from NATO and will never stop attacking so long as they have men and women to throw as fodder at the Russians. It is time for a decapitating blow of the fascist government. Otherwise this is just going to be a problem for Russia.
Yes, it hurts Europe in the short-term but I do think there is a serious risk that Europe builds out enough green energy, efficiency, etc that aside from people suffering in cold homes every winter they may be able to weather this situation with Russia and just lock in a new cold war with Ukraine as an eternal front. If Russia pulls out they overrun and massacre and then attack Russia. If Russia stays they attack them there. They have to bring the Ukraine government down and the more time they waste waiting for Europeans to buckle the worse it is going to be for them. Because despite the reactionary and leftist discontent with the situation Europe is not a democracy, it is a US puppet and I have doubts for the Europeans being able to overcome gladio and other elements meant to prevent any populist anti-US, anti-NATO reaction from gaining the ability to exercise power.