Last week’s negotiations between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US Envoy Steve Witkoff was an appeasement disaster. Witkoff should have courageously demanded an immediate unconditional ceasefire. Instead, two days later Putin announced he would end hostilities if Ukraine surrenders its sovereign territory.
President Trump also echoed his support for Putin’s peace plan centered around Russia’s planned land heist with no security guarantees. A Trump/Putin summit in Alaska was set for Aug. 15 to solidify the deal, a potential celebratory victory for Russian and Chinese autocrats.
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Incredulously, all European leaders are banned from the summit, despite their proximity to Russia’s fault line of aggression. This resembles the 1945 Yalta conference when Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt unjustly excluded European leaders. It also was a blueprint for peace, but Soviet Russia soon violated their agreement, subjugating Eastern Europe under its communist control.
Both Witkoff and Trump are out-manipulated by the master Putin because they are ignorant of Russia-Ukraine geopolitics. Ignoring European leaders and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky mistakenly gives Russia a huge advantage. Zelensky’s refusal to cede land in exchange for peace is ethically and legally correct.
For starters, surrendering land to autocratic Russia violates Ukraine’s constitution, which requires majority approval in a referendum. An unconditional ceasefire would ensure residents in Russian-occupied Ukraine could participate in a fair referendum. International observers are needed to prevent intimidation by armed Russian soldiers.
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Legalizing a land heist for Russia’s benefit would create a permanent iron curtain, splitting a Democratic nation and families forever. A ceasefire would allow those trapped in Russian-controlled areas safe unfettered access back to Ukraine.
Both Witkoff and Trump are out-manipulated by the master Putin because they are ignorant of Russia-Ukraine geopolitics.
The pitfalls of the Trump administration’s Russia dealings stem from a failure to meet Ukraine’s people impacted by the war. An unconditional ceasefire gives policymakers in Washington access to Russian-controlled Ukraine so they can view the humanitarian crises unfolding there.
Currently, in Russian-occupied Ukraine there’s a life-threatening drinking water shortage. Many or most buildings are destroyed or uninhabitable. Russian forces have closed down all churches not toeing the Kremlin line. Dozens of priests have been murdered. Ordinary civilians are randomly seized and terrorized. It is unconscionable that US officials are promoting Putin’s peace plan before witnessing first-hand the dire plight of Ukrainians.
Russia has websites set up where Russians (who may be sexual predators) can view and select their favorite Ukrainian child. This resembles a child slavery trading scandal under the auspices of Russia.
Not only is Trump’s peace plan opposed by European leaders, it runs contrary to the will of the American people. Most Americans want a peace deal. But only 27% of Americans believe the US “should push Ukraine to let Russia keep territory it has gained in order to end the war.” Rewarding Russia merely encourages further aggression later.
Like an object in motion, President Trump’s ongoing Russian appeasement strategy, which includes land concessions, will continue to fail. If Trump truly wants to stop the war, he must adopt a courageous iron-fisted strategy to deter Putin, the most brilliant war criminal since Hitler.
During or subsequent to the Alaska summit President Trump must demand an unconditional ceasefire. If Putin balks, Trump should courageously fulfill his threat of implementing a 100% tariff on countries buying Russia oil, thereby obliterating Russia’s economy and war machine.
The views expressed in this opinion article are the author’s and not necessarily those of Kyiv Post.
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