War or not

Peace negotiations to the Ukraine War are once again in the news. It is time to review how this came to pass. Recall at the start of the war the experts got themselves into a pickle. They said that Russia could not be allowed to win because that would embolden them and they would push to rebuild the old Soviet Union starting with the Baltic countries. The same people said that Ukraine could not be allowed to win because if Russia was cornered, they would resort to Nukes. It was a guaranteed Mexican standoff. It was a war that was doomed to last forever. The war would never has started if the West had agreed to allow Russia to retain Crimea and absorb the Russian speaking areas in Ukraine known as the Donbas Region. This combined with forbidding Ukraine entry into NATO would have prevented the war. Within a month after the war started, Putin was still in accord with this type of agreement and would have withdrawn his forces. Now here we are three plus years into the war and the same deal is on the table and some, including Zelensky, are still opposed to a peaceful settlement. The cost to rebuild Ukraine is estimated at a half trillion with thousands dead and many more thousands injured, combined with millions who have left the country. Who are the winners in this catastrophe? US arms manufacturers and all those along the way who steal by various means. Add to that those EU countries who are sending military aid. Those who oppose a peaceful settlement must answer the question. Do they want a permanent war and if not, what is their answer?