With the latest series of trilateral “peace talks” off to a predictably slow start, the fundamental obstacle to ending the war was nicely summed up by Slawomir Debski, historian and visiting professor of strategy and international relations at the Warsaw-based College of Europe in Natolin:

“Moscow wants a peace that converts aggression into a wider strategic victory. Ukraine needs a peace that preserves its ability to survive. Europe cannot accept Russian control over European security, and America has no sound strategic reason to facilitate it.”

And there you have it, in a nutshell: two combatants (Russia and Ukraine) with diametrically opposed goals; one multinational party with a vested interest (Europe); and one fly in the ointment with a self-interest and a tight hold on the purse strings (Trump).

So where do we go from here?

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
11/13/26