Op-ed: 

Peace Cannot Exist When Problems Remain Unsolved 

By: Diane Sori / The Patriot Factor / Right Side Patriots / Right Side Patriots Radio

The article posted here is the authors opinion alone, and does not necessarily represent the views of blogspot.com or Google  

  

“Both sides are going to have to make concessions to end Russia's war in Ukraine.”  

- Secretary of State Marco Rubio

The now 3-1/2 year old war between Russia and Ukraine is a war primarily stained by the blood of innocent civilian lives lost while also, not so surprisingly, being a war engulfed in “Cold War” aspects as well. How so... because like the “Cold War” of the 20th century, this war has all the hallmarks of being able to spread...whether just verbally or more way likely tangibly...if some kind of workable and lasting peace deal is not reached anytime soon.

What started as a territorial dispute between Russia and Ukraine could well expand into neighboring NATO nations, thus directly drawing the U.S. into it as well. And with a somewhat altered version of NATO's “Article 5” protection now on the negotiating table even minus Ukraine being a NATO nation, this war could unfortunately continue on no matter Putin's smiling face at the Alaska summit with President Trump. Why so...because when one deals with Vladimir Putin anything is possible, most especially when Russia's leader needs to counter last Monday's theatrically staged and ever so successful optics of Europe's leaders descending on Washington to show their united support for Ukraine's President Zelenskyy...worldwide televised egg on Putin's face for sure.

So while Putin continues to claim numerous military victories of sorts while standing strong in his demands for absorbing what are large parts of Ukraine into Russia, Russia's economy is still struggling as her defense budget has now reached $142+B per year, which is more than double the monies spent on defense before Putin started the war with Ukraine. And this war does affect the now war weary Russian people themselves for monies used to fund Putin's war machine were taken away from the Russian people and their needs. And know Russia's rank and file military has also grown weary of war...a war that pits brother against brother, as Russians and Ukrainians basically do share the same genetic roots.

A somewhat modern day version of our own Civil War if you will, yet a war vastly different in both mode of operation and outcome for Ukraine's President Vlodymir Zelenskyy, the once deemed underdog by all accounts, has stood his ground against not only the world's number two superpower, but against Vladimir Putin himself, with the added bonus being Zelenskyy's having united the nations of Europe together in his and Ukraine's just cause. Quite an achievement I'd say as this new camaraderie...this new alliance of sorts...has not been seen since the days of WWII.

So as to the offensive player that is Putin's Russia v. the defensive player that is Ukraine, Zelenskyy and his cause are also being supported and cheered on in the “court of public opinion,” while at the same time the still in effect Western sanctions have had a cumulative effect on what is now Russia’s full time war economy, And know that many more sanctions are to come, as per both President Trump and European leaders, if Vladimir Putin continues on in what he hopes to be his “legacy” defining moment.

And if that be the case, Putin's legacy could well be a legacy of failure if he thinks Russia could take on NATO, let alone the U.S. under President Trump. Remember, NATO has had new life and relevancy breathed into it courtesy of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, while at the same time Ukraine's forces, as ragtag as they are, have been able to fend off defeat that according to Putin should have taken Russia but a mere two weeks to achieve. And whether Putin's failure to accomplish that objective has been due to the funding and equipment NATO and the U.S. has given to Ukraine or not, the fact remains that Ukraine and her people are still standing strong...as is Zelenskyy himself...while Putin tries to publicly “save face” by making nice to President Trump with fingers probably crossed behind his back.

Now here is where it gets interesting for after the “smile for the camera” show Putin put on at the Alaska Summit, the fact remains that Vladimir Putin still wants to “grab” roughly 30% of Ukraine's lands to be officially recognized as part of “Mother Russia” whether the now said lands are currently occupied by Russian troops or not.

And Russia's quest for Ukrainian land started when in 1994, Bill Clinton played a key role in negotiating the terms of the “Budapest Memorandum”...the agreement which forced Ukraine to give up its nukes in exchange for security assurances...and culminated in 2014 when Obama foolishly gave Crimea to Putin, as he had little access to its desperately needed 1.5 billion barrels of oil reserves save for a thin bit of peninsula access that does not really allow for needed heavy transport.

However, in Putin's now demanding not only the oil fields but the Dzhankoy and the Kerch Peninsulas...as well as the Dunbas region which he claims is needed for Russian “security purposes” ...something Zelensky is rightfully fighting against...know that Ukraine itself has lost access to 80% of oil and gas deposits in the Black Sea, and a significant part of the Crimea port infrastructure due to Obama's allowing the Russian annexation of Crimea.

And that which I just stated is what I believe Putin's war with Ukraine is really all about...as in permanent oil access. plus the eventual rebuilding of the old Soviet Union.

But being as arrogant as he is, Vladimir Putin truly believes that not only will he eventually be victorious in this his ultimate legacy endeavor, as there remains the possibility that Putin has all along been cloaking himself in talking of wanting peace while the KGB trained agent within him tries to play both Presidents Trump and Zelenskyy in the same way that Hitler did Neville Chamberlain almost 100 years ago.

And why do I say this...because last Wednesday, Putin warned that Russia should hold “veto power” over any security actions to assist Ukraine after a peace deal is reached, rendering planned Western security guarantees for Kyiv moot at this point. A setback in peace talks already involving the logistics of the “land grabs” currently on the negotiating table for if Putin were to acquire “veto power” regarding Ukraine's security it equates to more than just “appeasement” as it opens the door for Putin's war to actually expand.

Remember, Chamberlain truly believed that by conceding to Hitler's first few “land grabs”...that his acts of “appeasement”...would help to prevent a full blown European war from happening, but the fact is that while Chamberlain was busy “making nice” to Hitler, Hitler continued to strengthen, bolster, and add to Germany's military capabilities. Now substitute the names Trump and Putin here for not only does Trump know Putin well enough to not take anything Putin says at face value, but Zelenskyy knows that no concessions of any kind, especially involving Ukraine's security, will be reached without his approval. And so the continued to be spoken words that “a lot of progress has been made” towards peace is anything but reality, that is until peace itself sees pen being put to paper while arms are being laid down.

But even with that said, I'm sure President Trump has accounted for the old adage, “give them an inch and they'll take a mile,” as he's not an easily fooled man. Remember, as previously stated, I still believe Putin's ultimate goal, no matter his public words to the contrary...is not to ceremonially rebuild “Mother Russia” to her former glory, but to rebuild...and I cannot state this enough...what was the old Soviet Union by starting with Ukraine and then ultimately reabsorbing all the former Soviet satellites now independent nations...some even NATO member nations...back into the Russian fold.

Simply, Putin's current quest to take over 30% of Ukraine is not only “land grabbing” on steroids, but is his not so secret attempt to lay the very foundation for what could eventually turn into World War III if he does not get his way. A legacy in waiting, cleverly crafted by a madman along the same lines as Hitler's legacy of “land grabs” is remembered today.

So even with all of Vladimir Putin's talks of wanting peace...even with what might be an agreed upon implementation of what I'm sure in the end will turn into but a temporary peace...one must remember that it's not in Putin's make up, or in what he deems to be in his or Russia's best interests, to accept what would be a peace deal garnered by Russia's having, in one form or another...veiled or not...to admit to defeat. And besides, I see what's being offered by Putin in exchange for peace as being but a diversion to help keep the world's prying eyes off him and Russia...thus giving Putin the time needed to regroup, rearm, and only then logistically move forward against Ukraine yet again.

So in Putin's appearing to take a page from Hitler's “land grab” playbook...as in never give up until either ones wanted goal is achieved or until one is stone-cold dead... it's obvious that Volodymir Zelenskky will not be playing into Putin's threats of give up the land he wants or else, as he has laid down his own unwavering “red line” being that, “The positions are clear. A real peace must be achieved, one that will be lasting, not just another pause between Russian invasions.”

And with those words of President Zelenskyy basically echoing President Trump's words posted on 'Truth Social' that, “It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up.” we find these two men on the same page...two men well aware of famed Russian “treachery” once again coming into play as peace negotiations remain on going...at least as I write this.

But one thing I do know for certain is that neither Europe's leaders nor even President Trump have a right to give away or to force President Zelenskyy to give away any of Ukraine's land without it being agreed to by Zelenskyy himself and the Ukrainian people. And this is especially true when all concerned know, as fact, that not only does Putin want Ukraine for its oil, but even more so that he wants Ukraine as a base from which to first reabsorb its former satellites back into the fold, and then expand Russian style communism outward into eastern Europe from there.

It seems to me that Volodymir Zelenskyy knows well all that I just stated along with something many others involved do not, and that is that while peace might stop the killing for a given period of time, peace itself does not always solve the problems that started said killings in the first place. Simply, unless all underlying problems between the two nations are resolved at the core level, any peace that might now be reached will be lost sooner rather than later.

Remember the old saying, “The devil wears black”...well the new saying in today's ever hostile and volatile world, where talks of Ukraine/Russian peace still appear to be but words ongoing minus much needed tangible actions taken, instead should be, “Beware of the little Russian man draped in Communist red.” No need to say anything more...case closed. 

Copyright © 2025 Diane Sori / The Patriot Factor / All rights reserved.  

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For more political commentary please visit my RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS partner Craig Andresen's blog The National Patriot to read his latest article, The Fling Heard Around the World.

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RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS...LIVE!                                                  Tomorrow, Tuesday, August 26th from 7 to 8:30pm EST, RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS Craig Andresen and Diane Sori discuss 'Peace Cannot Exist When Problems Remain Unsolved'; 'The Fling Heard Around the World'; and important news of the day. Hope you can tune in to RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS on https://rspradio1.com Click 'LISTEN LIVE' starting at 6:50pm EST, show begins at 7pm EST.