- 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 a
nd
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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