Apologists of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin are trying to help him out from all sides.
Some want world leaders to be more understanding and recognize that Russia can run roughshod over the former Soviet Union because Putin is so needed in the world’s fight against terrorism and nuclear proliferation. With kindness, the tyrant may loosen his grip on his neighbors and stop menacing the world.
Nonsense. Putin is out to wreck the Western world, democracy and Ukraine while bringing other former Soviet republics to heel. The West has been too soft for too long on him.
Others say that say that economic sanctions are useless. Russia is too big to sanction. Putin will do what he wants, no matter how much his people and economy suffer.
Also nonsense. Sanctions have likely slowed Putin’s advance, crimped Russia’s economy and spurred discontent with his seemingly endless authoritarian rule. The economic sanctions imposed don’t go far enough. Much tougher measures are in order. Putin has been a murderous dictator since taking over for the late Russian President Boris Yeltsin in 2000.
Even if sanctions don’t work, they are morally right. Universal values of democracy, rule of law and human rights mean nothing if nations continue to do business with dictators who flaunt these cherished rights.
This is why the West should stiffen its spine and disengage from the Russian economy, including cancelling the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany through the Baltic Sea. To the extent Putin cooperates on fighting terrorism and nuclear weapons, it’s because it’s also in his interest to do so.
As ex-U.S. sanctions coordinator Dan Fried told the Kyiv Post in an interview this week, America, the European and Ukraine can prevail against Putin – but they need to remain united to do so.
