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There was a real possibility of achieving peace with Russia, as President Donland Trump assumed upon his inauguration in 2025, but apparently no one was willing to pay the price, especially Trump. Russia is playing hardball and the longer the delay the more complicated it becomes. The latest additional peace demand expected by Russian President Vladimir Putin, on top of Ukraine neutrality, reduced military capability, ceasing Ukraine ownership of five provinces, is that NATO withdraws membership from Poland, Baltic nations and Finland.
Putin’s demand for NATO withdrawing membership from eastern nations reveals tremendous possibilities for action by the European Union and NATO. Primarily it may simply indicate that Putin wants to have a broader choice in negotiations. But more importantly, it shows that, without a ceasefire in Ukraine, the war simply continues. All indications are that Russia cannot win the war, the economy is in shambles, Russian oil refineries and warehouses are burning, sabotage within the federation and demonstrations against the war appear to be increasing.
Now would be the time to provide all needed resources to Ukraine to win the war. Naturally, this will likely elicit Putin’s nuclear threat, and it needs to be dealt with, instead of appeasement.
Bohdan Slabyj
Scarborough