This whole conversation takes place in an alternate universe where Russia didn’t invade Ukraine unprovoked, bombard Ukrainian cities to the ground, commit thousands of documented war crimes, or couldn’t end the war tomorrow if Putin chose to.
https://twitter.com/mylovanov/status/1901293043245887957
Trump makes demands of Ukraine and even removes resources vital for its defense. Russia demands impossible concessions that would become the end of Ukraine as an independent nation. Meanwhile, no demands are made of Russia, no concessions asked.
Does anyone who has watched Trump in action over the last two months believe for a moment he has the capacity or desire to negotiate a tough agreement with Vladimir Putin? Everything from this White House has been about how to force Ukraine to surrender and reward Russia.
There is no leverage that will lead to Putin stopping the war that would not also lead to Putin retreating from all Ukrainian territory. He will declare victory anyway. He’s a dictator with 100% control of the Russian information space and power structure.
But rewarding Russia’s aggression only guarantees more of it to come, and it will be sooner rather than later. Putin has turned Russia into a wartime economy and continues to build up his forces. He cannot afford peace. Only Russian defeat in Ukraine will lead to a real peace.
Witkoff was in Moscow to strategize how to get Ukraine to surrender in the most palatable way possible for Western audiences. How Putin could pretend to agree to a ceasefire he will never honor to make Trump look less pathetic, and then blame Ukraine.
This is the only course that has been demonstrated by action. I’ll be happy to be proven wrong by Trump getting frustrated and changing course and inflicting real pain on Putin and Russia by increasing aid to Ukraine and cracking down on Russian energy exports. But talk is cheap.
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