You might be missing some more subtle psychological brinksmanship that is happening. Putin is being tortured psychologically with Zelensky's demonstrable heroism. You can't exactly fake surviving when the other side is trying to kill you and your family. You can't fake visiting troops on the front lines. Why should Putin be the only one allowed to play mind games, especially when he behaves like such a worm and a paranoid coward? Mr. insecure KGB Bully may have met his match and believe me, the Zelensky script is being partially written by the US and the EU who are constantly advising him. Lonely Putin isn't the only one who can escalate to de-escalate after all and he knows he's on the wrong side of History here which makes him have nightmares. Surely, one of his own will put hm out of misery and Ukraine awaits this moment.