It has been a year since Russia launched a "special military operation" against Ukraine, but the conflict is far from over.

The year-long conflict has caused many casualties, displaced numerous people, aggravated geopolitical confrontation in Europe, intensified global energy and food shortages, and undermined regional and international security.

The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution calling for an end to the conflict only hours before the conflict entered into its second year on Friday.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the one-year mark is a "grim milestone" with an impact far beyond Ukraine. "While prospects may look bleak today, we know that genuine, lasting peace must be based on the UN Charter and international law," he said.

What's nowhere in sight is a settlement

The Kremlin insists a settlement must include the recognition of the Crimean Peninsula and the acceptance of its other territorial gains. Ukraine categorically rejects those demands and rules out any talks until Russia withdraws all forces.

While Putin is determined to achieve his goals, Ukraine and its allies are standing firm on preventing Russia from ending up with any of its land.

Observers see little prospect for talks. Both sides are "irreconcilable on their current positions," said Justin Bronk, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute - a defense and security think tank in London.

If Ukraine fails to reclaim more territory before Russia builds up its troops, it could lead to a "long-term stalemate and sort of a grinding attritional war that just kind of goes on and on," Bronk added.

Fiona Hill, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution who served in the past three U.S. administrations, also saw little prospect for a settlement.

"The Russians are digging in for the long haul. They have no intention of losing," Hill said.

Conflict goes on

On Thursday, Putin announced plans to deploy new Sarmat multi-warhead intercontinental ballistic missiles this year. Earlier this week he suspended Russia's participation with the United States in the New START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) on nuclear arms control.

Some of the heaviest fighting in recent months has been in and around the eastern city of Bakhmut and deeper into the Donetsk region.

Along with fulfilling its goal of capturing the entire Donbas, Moscow aims to wear down Ukrainian forces and prevent them from starting offensives elsewhere.

A daily evening statement by the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported the increased Russian activity in the east and south as the anniversary approached. Russian forces also trained fire on at least 25 towns and villages in three northern regions along the Russian border - Chernihiv, Sumy and Kharkiv, the statement said.

Western promises of tanks and other weapons

Ukraine is waiting for battle tanks and other new weapons pledged by the West for it to reclaim occupied areas.

Since the flare-up, the United States and its allies have sent more weapons to Ukraine, worsening the situation.

The United States has promised nearly $30 billion in military assistance to Ukraine. After the United States and Germany pledged tanks to Ukraine in late January, the Pentagon announced a new tranche of military aid for Ukraine days later, including long-range precision rockets for the first time.

During his surprise trip to Kyiv on Monday, U.S. President Joe Biden announced hundreds of millions of dollars in additional military aid for Ukraine, a move widely expected to escalate the crisis further.

With tank pledges in hand, Ukraine has been asking allies to provide modern fighter jets in recent days to boost its military capabilities.

So far, the U.S. has said "No" to sending F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, while the Netherlands said it could send some F-16s to Ukraine and French President Emmanuel Macron has said that "nothing is ruled out."

(With input from agencies)