Neutrality Represents an Exit Ramp for Putin

President Zelensky of Ukraine calling for “neutrality” from NATO might just lead to peace between Ukraine and Russia because neutrality represents an exit ramp for Vladimir Putin. One he might use to evacuate his invading forces for another war against Ukraine at a future date. Fools are those who will trust the Russian leadership. Fools are those who think peace with Putin is permanent. And fools are those who will consider normalizing relations with Russia to include a timetable for revoking any sanctions. Vladimir Putin is a predator. It is a question of time before he attacks another country or region.

In twenty years of ruling Russia, Vladimir Putin has waged a total of five wars against desperate peoples and countries. Twice of them against Ukraine. This is the legacy of a serial warmonger who, in each case, targeted women and children.

Was Ukraine’s neutrality, from a NATO membership, deemed to provide an end to the war while saving Putin from a stalemate, or even a defeat? It seems so as the mass murderer responds by faking another retreat and spreading even more lies.

Lost in the pressure of the moment to pursue peace are the calculated costs of Putin surviving his war on Ukraine to threaten the world again in the future.

THE PRICE OF PEACE IS UNTENABLE

Europe needs and wants peace; but will today’s price for peace be far greater than tomorrow’s price when conflicts erupt again with Putin as its sole architect? The world knows he will wage another war again, and next time he would have learned from his mistakes. Next time will be about vengeance, just as Hitler’s war on Europe was about avenging the Versailles Treaty.

Will Russia sign its own Versailles Treaty today? Just to use as an excuse to wage a much larger war on Europe at a later date? Should the West provide the Russian mass murderer with that opportunity?

The leadership in Ukraine is under tremendous pressure to save their people, which makes its calls for “neutrality” a move made under extreme duress. The west, on the other hand, while it seeks a peaceful resolution to the conflict to limit the damage such war may exact on its global energy and food shortages, President Biden and the allies must consider what it means for Putin to retreat today to prepare to fight tomorrow.

The price of peace may be untenable if we come to the conclusion it is temporary and illusionary at best. However unscientific are the predictions of a cost benefit analysis of pursuing peace today, leaders tend to err on the side of caution, which, in this instance, means peace at any price.

Lost in the pressure of the moment to pursue peace are the calculated costs of Putin surviving his war on Ukraine to threaten the world again in the future. The attitude of most diplomats tend to forget the costs of crossing that bridge at a later time.

Anyone who does not see this threat for what it is should not be in a position of power to make peace.

WHY SHOULD PUTIN SAVE HIS FACE?

If the Ukrainian and Russian negotiators in Turkey agree to construct an exit ramp for Putin in the hope it brings the Ukrainians some semblance of peace, Putin will use that moment to lap victoriously around St. Peter’s square. Propaganda aside, the Kremlin would use this opportunity to concoct more unbelievable lies to sell a victory to unsuspecting public; and those who dare to expose Putin for his terror, will pay the ultimate price withe their own freedom, or even lives.

Why should we give Putin this opportunity to claim victory? When, in reality, his forces are suffering a shameful and demeaning defeat at the hands of the Ukrainian brave army. Yes, Ukrainians return home to rebuild, and yes the global price surges of commodities would subside, but we also empower a monster to strike again. Instead of making him pay the ultimate price of seeing him out of power due to his incompetence on the battlefield. .

The world will never rest easy again if Putin survives this war. Even his minor threats would shake an already volatile marketplace nervous about how easy it was to start a war in the heart of Europe. Putin and his cronies would simply suck the stock markets dry by using his threats to fund his future wars.

No exit ramp for Putin no matter how steep is the price we have to pay today. He must lose this war and along with it his capacity to wreak havoc on the world order. Anyone who does not see this threat for what it is should not be in a position of power to make peace.

Neutrality Represents an Exit Ramp for Putin