[This post is a modified transcript of a video posted already on January 6, 2025]
Should Ukraine wave the white flag and attempt negotiations? Why is the peace movement wrong about Russia and Ukraine?
Recent discussions have renewed debates about Ukraine and Russia, and our support for Ukraine’s survival. Even the late Pope Francis—though criticized for this—had already suggested Ukraine should wave the white flag and begin negotiations.
While this seems like a reasonable question, here’s the answer:
Russia’s aim is not territory—it’s the destruction of Ukraine and the democratic West. NATO isn’t a threat to Putin; democracy is. The stability of our democracies represents the real threat.
Our democracy may be imperfect, and the West generally has committed harmful acts. This isn’t about perfection. This concerns Russia’s attack on Ukraine starting in 2014—actually earlier—pushing for the election of a Russia-friendly president through fraudulent means, which caused the Maidan revolution.
The coup Tucker Carlson discusses didn’t occur at Maidan. The coup involved Russia imposing Russia-friendly politicians on Ukraine because they were threatened by democracy.
For decades, Russian propaganda, continuing Soviet propaganda traditions, has worked to destabilize democracies not just in Ukraine but globally.
To Putin, Ukraine’s existence as separate from Russia represents an aberration and offense. His actions and war demonstrate this reality. Putin bombs Ukrainian civilians and civilian infrastructure. In Russian-occupied territory, Ukrainians face death, torture, rape, and child abduction.
You don’t employ these tactics when seeking negotiations. You don’t behave this way when wanting territory alone. You don’t have your propaganda constantly label Ukrainians who want to be Ukrainian as “Nazis.”
Russia isn’t interested in peace—not even Ukraine’s peace. Russia wants all of Ukraine to become Russia, not Ukraine.
While Russia pretended to negotiate in Istanbul, it committed genocidal massacres in Bucha, Irpin, and other cities. This is why negotiations ended—because people discovered that Russian intentions regarding Ukraine have nothing to do with territory and everything to do with genocide and ending Ukrainians as a people.
This continues in every bit of territory Ukraine cedes to Russia. People are killed, tortured, raped, and their children stolen. This must end.
Peace can only come with Russian defeat.
Putin also threatens Russia itself. He represents the biggest traitor to the Russian people, destroying the Russian economy by transforming it into a war machine and killing Russia’s future. Even before this war, he destroyed the Russian economy by focusing solely on resource extraction. He is not Russians’ friend.
Russians are forced to support Putin because the alternative is what happened to Navalny, what’s happening to people like Yashin, and what’s currently happening to Kara-Murza and many others.
Street demonstrations remain rare because people are scared. However, the few demonstrations and opposition supporters we see represent extremely courageous individuals.
A better Russia exists. This better Russia can only emerge with Putin’s Russia losing. In fact, Russia has already lost—we need to continue making this loss sink in.
Ukraine is winning by still existing. We need to help it win decisively. For that, Putin must lose.
Ceterum censeo Ucrainam esse defendam. Слава Україні!
[This was originally posted to YouTube as a video. This post is a slightly abbreviated transcript, preserving the oral style of the video.]
Erratic Attempts 