The war in Ukraine, now in its third year, is entering a critical phase. Just before leaving office, former U.S. President Joe Biden made an unprecedented move in global politics by authorizing Ukraine to use long-range missiles for strikes within Russian territory. The United Kingdom and France have also given their approval, and Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski made a similar request several weeks earlier.
HASTY PREPARATIONS FOR WAR?
The red line set by Putin threatens to be crossed under circumstances where Ukraine’s chances of victory are almost zero, and morale within the army is at an unacceptably low level. Instead of the anticipated partial freezing of the conflict, a new level of escalation has occurred. In Sweden, pamphlets are being distributed to educate the population on what to do in the event of nuclear, cyber, and biological attacks. In Germany, the Bundeswehr is rehearsing war scenarios. Submarine cables between Lithuania and Sweden have been destroyed, and British planes are experiencing communication problems over Europe.
In short: the situation on our continent is serious. And it is becoming increasingly serious. Tensions are rising again, and voices calling for de-escalation, often discredited as “Kremlin propaganda,” remain in the minority.
How did it come to this?
THE ATMOSPHERE OF A DECISIVE BATTLE
The greatest mistake made by the Ukrainian government, as well as by Western politicians who interfered, was framing this war as a struggle for survival. A historical dispute with an eternal and greatest enemy was presented as an existential battle—a confrontation in the moral sense of good versus evil, a game of all or nothing: Ukrainian troops in Moscow or Russian bombs raining down on Lisbon.
From such conceptual images naturally arise the demands for total war—everything must be arranged so that Ukraine wins. This rhetoric has been maintained for almost three years. Several Western countries, especially Germany, handed over their already limited defense resources as if they themselves were fighting in Crimea. An atmosphere of a historically decisive battle hovered in the air.
THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE: VICTIMS OF MADNESS
The war has developed with absolute rationality, within established boundaries, and with concrete objectives: Russia’s security interests in Ukraine were unmistakably clear, U.S. global and domestic policy showed profound misunderstanding, and the Ukrainian government got involved in the game. The war could have ended long ago if figures like Boris Johnson hadn’t interfered and if local moralism hadn’t dominated all media coverage.
In this war, the worst elements of old Western geopolitics have been combined with a reckless approach to Russian interests. Of course, Moscow cannot be absolved of responsibility for the attack and the resulting loss of life. However, this attack occurred in a broader context and is part of a Western grand strategy that ultimately proved flawed. The victim of this madness is the Ukrainian people, who must sacrifice their youth in a senseless war with no prospect of real victory.
UKRAINIANS WANT NEGOTIATIONS
This must come to an end. According to a Gallup poll, 52% of Ukrainians want negotiations to end the conflict as soon as possible. At the start of the war, this percentage was around 20%. Peace can exist, offering Ukraine a future as a neutral state—without Putin’s alleged march to Berlin or Lisbon and without the stationing of U.S. nuclear weapons in NATO Ukraine. Anything else is unacceptable in realistic terms. And unrealistic.
A BOW TO SPILLED BLOOD
Ukraine lies in ruins, an entire generation has either been dragged into the trenches or fled abroad. What will follow with Western integration is massive migration as compensation, followed by typical BlackRock investments and increased U.S. presence. This setup would inevitably lead to another existential war, this time affecting all Europeans.
I respect the bloodshed of the Ukrainian people. Anyone willing to take up arms deserves respect. And, of course, the right to national self-defense is unquestionable. But after more than 1,000 days, it should be clear to everyone that in the clash of two great powers, an entire nation is being crushed and that the guarantee of Ukrainian national sovereignty has been foolishly squandered.
A COMPETITION IN SERVILITY
Zelensky and Putin will leave, but Ukrainians and Russians will remain, and they must continue to exist. And so must the rest of Europe. Therefore, de-escalation must now become a priority on the agenda. Europe has not yet gained any geopolitical weight. Our continent remains a chessboard where pieces are moved by foreign powers.
Moreover, even the European Union may not have helped resolve this issue. In Brussels, people almost compete to show greater servility to transatlantic politics—a competition in which, unfortunately, many right-wing populist parties also participate.
SUPPORT IN SLOGANS
But this cannot be the stance of respectable Europeans. Supporting Ukraine, packed into slogans without any concept or real plan to end the bloodshed, does not express European solidarity or sovereignty. Instead, it represents a gesture of approval and deference to the Americans, who see Ukrainians as cannon fodder.
The situation in Ukraine is a tragedy, but it is symptomatic that it is creating continental and civilizational paralysis, which we encounter everywhere today. Warmongers are turning Ukraine into another Afghanistan. We, on the other hand, should work to make Ukraine a neutral Switzerland of the East—a buffer zone and an instrument of balance between Russia and the West.
EUROPE: A PILLAR AND SUPPORT
This neutrality between blocs could one day lead to pan-European neutrality as a condition for independence. Europe must become its own pillar, its own bloc. And since we share a continent with Russia, we will have to coexist peacefully. This logic is irrelevant to the Americans; it does not interest them on the other side of the Atlantic.
All those who primarily wish to act against Russia while enjoying American support must be aware of this fact and the danger of being pushed into disaster. Ukraine’s example serves as a warning.
