Putin’s actions vs Putin’s words... Repeating Kremlin statements about withdrawals and ceasefires is malpractice and propaganda. And if pressure and battlefield success are working, press the advantage.
https://twitter.com/Mike_Eckel/status/1508808260626829319
Putin's tactic has always been to take territory by force and then sue for peace while he consolidates and rearms. His victims are pressured by the West to accept anything so they can get back to business as usual. Not again.
Eight years of human rights abuses including torture, ethnic cleansing and deportations in occupied Ukraine. Now Putin wants to expand that program & West will take it as an achievement since it "could have been worse." Aim higher.
Decades of world leaders happily accepting smaller losses made Putin think he could win big. He's losing, but assumes he can go back to the way things were. Summits, Davos, gas & oil, sanctions relief—until he attacks again.
Watch Western leaders very carefully for making deals with the war criminal in the Kremlin. It's all they have ever known. Biden actually has Cold War origins and should know better than to relax early instead of increasing pressure.
Ukrainian courage and public pressure are why the free world leaders flipped to supporting Ukraine aggressively instead of their usual middle path with Putin. That public pressure must increase, not ease just because Russia is changing its tune.
"How much of Ukraine should Putin keep?" is not an acceptable basis for anything unless the answer is zero. This invasion began in 2014. Donbas is as much Ukraine as Kyiv. Crimea is Ukraine. Russia goes or sanctions stay.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
