Europe self destructing in efforts to continue Ukraine’s self destruction

Walt Zlotow, West Suburban Peace Coalition, Glen Ellyn IL , 19 May 25
Every day the war in Ukraine continues, Ukraine loses more territory to Russia. So far about 45,000 square miles have been lost in the Donbas and environs containing mainly Russia speaking and cultured Ukrainians.

Ukraine had 2 opportunities to lose nary a square mile.

Their first one was by not seeking to join NATO, then not attacking Russian leaning Ukrainians in Donbas who sought freedom from their Kyiv government tyranny that killed thousands. That provoked the Russian invasion of February 24, 2022.

The second was by Ukraine not pulling out of the Istanbul Agreement 2 months into the war. It would have brought peace without Ukraine losing any territory, albeit they’d have to reject NATO membership and grant self-governance and peace to Donbas Ukrainians while still under Ukraine sovereignty.

Three years on, Ukraine faces imminent defeat, gaining nothing while losing a fifth of its land and over a million casualties. President Zelensky, likely coerced by the ultra-nationalists with the real power in Kyiv, refuses to stop the bleeding. He’s furthering Ukraine’s self destruction in a lost cause.

Tragically, he’s being goaded to fight on by much of Europe including France, Germany, Poland, the UK and Baltics. Sadly and tragically, they are all suffering economically by their refusal to drop their rampant Russophobia. Sanctioning Russia has done nothing but escalate their energy costs.

Europe’s sanctions have failed spectacularly. Russia simple moved on from supplying Europe with cheap energy to much of the nonaligned world, including China and India. Result? Last year Russia’s GDP expanded 4.1% while the EU ticked up a scant 1%.

Trump’s only sensible foreign policy is seeking to end Ukraine’s self destruction by brokering a peace deal in the first peace conference in three years. Trump is signaling he’s near ending the US weapons gravy train that has squandered over $175 billion in weapons that have merely ensured those 45,000 lost square miles of territory and a million casualties.

Europe wants nothing to do with ending the war against their bete noir Russia. The EU Commission, its executive arm, is seeking to replace the possible US withdrawal by pledging $900 billion in new defense spending in a program dubbed ‘Rearm Europe’. A better sobriquet would be ‘Weaken Russia’.

European leaders keeping the Ukraine war going are merely weakening their own economies. Their populations are not on board allowing nationalist movements such as AfD (Alternative for Germany) to gain traction threatening pro war ruling parties.

Leaders like UK’s Starmer, France’s Macron and Germany’s Merz appear oblivious the Ukraine war is hopeless, Their proposed $900 billion or even $9 trillion will make no difference when Ukraine runs out of conscripted solders to continue their lost cause. Russia garners around 50,000 military volunteers each month while Ukraine lassos draft dodgers like stray dogs.

All three could boost their sagging economies as well as end the death and destruction by partnering with Trump to reach a quick settlement at the current Istanbul peace conference. After that they’d be wise to drop their delusional Russophobia and welcome the cheaper energy and other goodies they could acquire from a resource rich trading partner they’ve spent decades isolating.