ProfessorLennyK

Well, thank God also for free and open debate. Having visited Ukraine every year but one since 2011, I think I have an informed and realistic view. I repeatedly criticized the Biden administration for its failure to deter Putin in 2021 and failure to end the war while Ukraine still had some leverage. I have said more than once in the past three years that the war would not have happened if President Trump had been reelected in 2020. I supported his campaign for reelection last year, consistently predicted his and your victory, and welcomed the “vibe shift” that victory represented. I have also supported the President’s previous calls to negotiate peace between Russia and Ukraine. So I am not sure I really qualify as a globalist. In fact, I agree with all five of the points you make. Indeed, I praised your Munich speech. But I simply cannot understand the logic of beginning a negotiation this difficult by conceding so many crucial points to Russia. As I understand it, before negotiations have even begun, NATO membership for Ukraine has been taken off the table and the loss of 20% of its territory has in effect been conceded. Correct me if I am wrong. I have read also (though it may not be true) that “American officials are suggesting a different sort of peacekeeping force, including non-European countries such as Brazil or China, that would sit along an eventual ceasefire line as a sort of buffer.” China? Seriously? On Wednesday, President Trump accused Ukraine of having “started it,” meaning the war. He also cast doubt on the legitimacy of President Zelensky’s government. It is not “moralistic garbage” but a hard and realistic lesson of history that wars are easy to start and hard to end. As for “historical illiteracy,” here are some facts. It took 1 year, 10 months, 25 days for Woodrow Wilson to negotiate an end to World War I (it helped that the Allies won); 2 years, 18 days to negotiate an end to the Korean War; 3 years, 5 months, 24 days to negotiate an end to the Vietnam War; And 5 years, 5 months, 1 day to negotiate peace between Israel and Egypt. I earnestly hope that the Trump administration can negotiate an end to this war. But if we end up with a peace that dooms Ukraine first to partition and then to some future invasion, it will be a sorry outcome. To repeat, I agreed with most of your criticisms of Europe at Munich. I would add that the Europeans have talked for “strategic autonomy” for too long without making a serious attempt to achieve it. But you and President Trump campaigned last year with a slogan that dates back even further than George H.W. Bush’s words that I quoted. That phrase was “peace through strength.” I wish you luck.

If the foremost advocates for the disastrous Iraq War - and for additional wars they were fortunately prevented from undertaking - are all pointing in one direction… Then I’d highly recommend going in the other direction.

“we realize ukraine will not become a member of nato. we understand this, we are adequate people." - president zelensky wish he had said this a month ago

The Élysée Palace released images of French President Macron after his call with Putin today, regarding the invasion of Ukraine. 🇫🇷🇷🇺🇺🇦