Returning to pre-2014 Ukraine borders ‘unrealistic’ and ‘illusory’ goal, US defence secretary says.
Continuing his speech, US defence secretary Peter Hegseth calls for “realistic assessment of the battlefield.”
“We want a sovereign and prosperous Ukraine. But we must start by recognising that returning to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders is an unrealistic objective.”
“Chasing this illusionary goal will only prolong the war and cause more suffering.”
Not persuing that goal is repeating the same mistake: russia rearms and attacks again. It prolongs the war and causes more suffering.
It’s not a mistake when it’s intentional.
I think that, as with any war, there’s never a solution that’s going to please everyone.
Ending the war, by itself, is a good thing. That the US is getting mineral rights as part of the resolution is a great thing (at least for the billionaires) and that economic incentive will work to prevent any new outbreak of hostilities.
You’re a modern day Chamberlain. He thought Hitler would stop if they appeased him by letting him have part of Czechoslovakia.
I don’t need to tell you it didn’t work. Appeasing bullies neverr works.
If you give Putin part of Ukraine he will come for the rest in a few years. We already saw this with Crimea.
as with any war, there’s never a solution that’s going to please everyone.
I hear Hitler was particularly displeased with the way WWII ended. Pleasing everyone ain’t the goal here Skippy.
Ending the war, by itself, is a good thing.
If either side thought that, there wouldn’t be a war. Obviously there are “bad things” associated with ending the war that are considered worse than continuing it.
Do you think that if the Ukraine military and government surrendered completely today that it would mean peace? Not a chance. Russia would be oppressive and an uprising would begin the moment formal hostilities ended - as would be right and proper.
Russia does not have the manpower - in training or just raw numbers - to effectively occupy and quell rebellion in Ukraine. The result would be a bloody quagmire for at least a decade, and it would arguably be worse than the current formal hostilities.
People really do not give Adolf Hitler enough credit for killing Adolf Hitler.
For a man who caused so much suffering, he did the right thing in the end.
If the war ends with unlawful territorial loss, then we all are in big trouble because it opens doors for more land grab. Not that Russia or US mind it, though.
If the war stops today without returning a massive chunk of territories, the underground Ukrainian resistance will go on. There will be no war, but expect shootings, bomb on planes carrying russian officials, hostage takings… And probably not only in Russia or Ukraine.
Plus the added risk of US troops entering a war because it would just have signaled to Putin that with sacrificing under 1% of his population (800 000/ 130 million) is getting yourself territory like Poland or the Baltic’s because the USA will always end up folding in front of their adversaries.
It’s not a solution.
If that’s how it goes I’m perfectly happy to let them fight it, provided my tax dollars no longer have to be involved.
Appreciate the much more honest answer. And I get that point of view: europeans don’t care much about the war in Sudan for example.
I agreed that EU especially, should contribute more to the defense effort of Ukraine.
“Cutting my nose off is a small price to pay if I get to spite my face”
You all make these arguments about every war that is, supposedly, going to turn into WW3 and have for decades.
Meanwhile, history tells us that not only are you basically always wrong, but usually we’ve sunk a trillion-plus dollars into a quagmire. In the case of Iraq and Afghanistan, it was several trillion, and you all told us that it would only take a few months to liberate Iraq and it would cost, at most, tens of billions. (Because that’s what Dubya told the news and your worldview is wholly based on what your preferred news program tells you.)
So no, I’m sorry, but you don’t get to pretend to be right here simply because your preferred news program and social media algorithm are assuring you that you are.
You’re not democratic. You don’t care about freedom. You’re just warmongers, and a less-than-ideal ending to a war is preferable to permanent war.
Oops, you gave it away: that’s what sympathizers said about Hitler invading Czechoslovakia. It’s actually almost verbatim. Don’t tell me you really thought you could fool me.
Let me be clear: your most deeply-held convictions of ideology are, at their fundamental and basal level, craven and shameful. You need to humble yourself and question the bases of your ideas instead of arrogantly persisting in the delusion that your belief system has validity. Your inhumanity is disturbing.
You’re just warmongers, and a less-than-ideal ending to a war is preferable to permanent war.
Ending a war vs ending a war as fairly as possible are two vastly different things.
Putin, like the orange butt plug, is a bully … and giving into a bully doesn’t stop the bullying. It only encourages the bully to continue being an asshole.
Amazing what dividends Russia’s puppet is yielding for them.
I think it’s a time share with China
