In the aftermath of President Donald Trump’s Summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, it’s become obvious that the ex-KGB leader won’t stop unless all Ukrainians are dead or subjugated.
In the spirit of the “Eat This, Not That” books concerning healthy options, let’s look at what works and what doesn’t, in the most brutal invasion since the days of Nazis and Soviets.
Don’t Give Putin Everything He Wants
I’m sure it sounds like a surefire way to wash our country’s hands of the conflict. Maybe one might expect a Nobel Peace Prize for leaving the Ukrainians to a grim fate. Probably not, even if all of the world’s dictators push for Trump to receive this honor he covets.
But this is naked appeasement, and everyone knows it. It would make Trump the Neville Chamberlain of our times, the one to always be remembered for walking Americans away from a likely slaughter of epic proportions, since Ukrainians don’t want to be enslaved by Russians any more than most Americans, who would hate it. Ukraine’s attitude reminds me of a sign we would always see driving North Alabama off I65: “We Dare Defend Our Rights.”
Don’t Keep Trusting Putin
Seriously, all but the most die-hard supporters of Russia in America can see this is a bad idea. Giving Russia’s dictator repeated 50-day deadlines for ceasefires is getting people killed. Please, don’t believe those bots and propaganda posts about Ukraine being a Nazi puppet, or certain “secret deals” by U.S. leaders. Americans are generally smarter than that. Our leaders should resist temptations to fall for deceptions and flattery.
Don’t Put American Troops In Ukraine
Most Americans support Ukraine, but support for U.S. troops on the ground would undercut that.
Do Send Americans To Get Those Rare Earth Minerals
As I wrote earlier, citing an international security expert, this could end the conflict and get America some badly needed resources. Russia would be less likely to lob those lethal attacks against Ukrainian civilians if they knew Americans could get killed.
That might even make Trump mad at Putin, and not trust him.
Do Admit Ukraine To NATO
Any sort of ceasefire that Putin would actually agree to would last only long enough for Russia to later administer the killing blow on Kiev and the rest of Ukraine. What would give Russia real pause instead of pushing for more Ukrainian civilian deaths is to admit Ukraine into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Some of our Congressional representatives may fawn over Putin and wish for closer ties with Russia. That would be a mistake. Sweden and Finland once had a policy of strict neutrality. But they were intelligent enough to read the writing on the wall with Russia’s attack on Ukraine that Josef Stalin or any subsequent Soviet would approve of. Both joined NATO, and others in Europe are looking to do the same. They can see what’s up, even some of our leaders can’t.
Do Continue To Reform NATO
Trump does deserve credit for pushing NATO to boost defense spending. But there’s an even better reform: Do away with the rule of unanimity. That way, Putin ally Viktor Orban of Hungary can’t foul the safety and security of the Ukrainian people, and Turkish strongman Recep Tayyip Erdogan can’t continue his machinations against Sweden and Finland and against other potential new members over his obsession with targeting Kurds and followers of Fethullah Gulen. This will keep one or two unfree members holding the overwhelming free members of NATO hostage to their whims.
Let’s avoid the terrible mistakes that occurred before World War II, and stand up to aggression and totalitarianism. We know history, and the terrible consequences of doing so…