The president only said out loud what everyone in the world already knows. Putin is a war criminal by any definition of the term. He is destroying his own country by having launched this stupid war. The only way a lasting peace comes to Ukraine is if Putin is not in the political position he is in now.
I have a very hard time envisioning any of the involved parties (Ukraine government, ethnic Russians in Ukraine, Putin, NATO member states, EU member states) agreeing to a compromise that allows Russia to stay in control of any Ukrainian territory. Such a compromise would be an extremely bitter pill for the allies to swallow; it would mean Putin won and, Ukraine suffered massive destruction for nothing. And it would only teach Putin that he can and should try again. I also think that an anti-Russian insurgency in the conquered territories would be almost inevitable. Just like South Vietnam after 1954.
Likewise Putin, by settling for far less than what he told everyone, including his own people, were the just goals of the invasion would also be admitting defeat. And he would not stay defeated.
I've thought from the start of this that Russian regime change is the only solution that would result in lasting peace and nothing I have seen thus far has changed my mind.
The president only said out loud what everyone in the world already knows. Putin is a war criminal by any definition of the term. He is destroying his own country by having launched this stupid war. The only way a lasting peace comes to Ukraine is if Putin is not in the political position he is in now.
I have a very hard time envisioning any of the involved parties (Ukraine government, ethnic Russians in Ukraine, Putin, NATO member states, EU member states) agreeing to a compromise that allows Russia to stay in control of any Ukrainian territory. Such a compromise would be an extremely bitter pill for the allies to swallow; it would mean Putin won and, Ukraine suffered massive destruction for nothing. And it would only teach Putin that he can and should try again. I also think that an anti-Russian insurgency in the conquered territories would be almost inevitable. Just like South Vietnam after 1954.
Likewise Putin, by settling for far less than what he told everyone, including his own people, were the just goals of the invasion would also be admitting defeat. And he would not stay defeated.
I've thought from the start of this that Russian regime change is the only solution that would result in lasting peace and nothing I have seen thus far has changed my mind.