| robs... | Once Putin resumes his takeover of Ukraine for a 3rd time whenever Democrats resume control of the U.S. Presidency, I fear that the European Peace Keeping forces will simply retreat (will European soldiers really die for a corrupt Ukraine?!), and a call for U.S. troops on the ground would become imminent. I pray this doesn't coincide with a coordinated China invasion of Taiwan before the U.S. has re-built its Navy and overhauled its drone warfare capability. |
| mdul... | The US had made security guarantees to enable the Ukrainian disarmament of its nuclear weapons, those guarantees captured in the Budapest Memorandum. However, the US failed to honor them and recall Trump even telling Russia to go ahead and press their attack as they wished. It's a comforting thought that appeasement could lead to stability but it's been proven a mirage before and will do so again. Russia, or the Soviet Union in its day, is intent on capturing land and expanding its control. Here is a partial list beginning just with the end of WWI. • 1920: Poland – Soviet invasion in the Polish-Soviet War. • 1939: Poland – invaded eastern Poland in coordination with Nazi Germany after the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact. • 1939–1940: Finland – Winter War, USSR invaded Finland. • 1940: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania – annexed and occupied. • 1940: Romania – seized Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina. • 1941: Iran – jointly invaded with Britain to secure oil fields and supply lines. • 1945: Germany (East Prussia, Berlin) – Red Army invaded Nazi Germany. • 1945: Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Manchuria (China), Korea (North) – Soviet invasions at the end of WWII. • 1956: Hungary – crushed Hungarian Revolution with invasion. • 1968: Czechoslovakia – invaded during Prague Spring. • 1979–1989: Afghanistan – invaded to support communist government. • 1991–1993: Moldova (Transnistria) – Russian troops intervened in conflict and remain stationed. • 1994–1996, 1999–2009: Chechnya – not a foreign country, but Russia invaded to suppress independence. • 2008: Georgia – invaded South Ossetia and Abkhazia during Russo-Georgian War. • 2014: Ukraine – annexed Crimea and backed separatists in Donbas. • 2015–present: Syria – military intervention in Syrian Civil War (requested by Assad, so technically not an invasion, but major involvement). • 2022–present: Ukraine – full-scale invasion. Summary: From 1900 onward, Russia/USSR invaded or directly attacked at least 18 different countries/territories, including Poland, Finland, Baltic states, Romania, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Afghanistan, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine. Russia will not be appeased and satisfied with some portion of Ukraine. Additionally, those people arguing against a strong stance now normally include some warning about escalation to a higher level of engagement, like the war becoming nuclear. Even with full US security guarantees (already proven ineffective), what will be different when Russia invades again? Less fear of escalation? Giving up territory now is just a way for people to hope that it will be sufficient but it will not. One more point in this lengthy reply. If some foreign power succeeded in attacking the US and through a rapid advance managed to take over Texas, would be ever consider giving up land for peace? Not a chance and we would view ourselves as the aggrieved but resolute defenders of right over wrong. |
| yevh... | Ukraine already has US and Europe's security guarantees in a form of Budapest memorandum, which Trump wiped himself with. |
| atli... | The US has proven that it is willing to break, or refuse to honor, any treaty promise that it has made in the past that does not meet its own needs over that of other treaty participants. Why would anyone want to trust the US? European countries are more honest treaty participants but seldom negotiate saner treaties. It is unfortunate that Mahatmas Gandhi or Marshall Rosenberg are no longer with us. |
| john... | Ukraine should not trust Trump |
| jald... | Why is it our responsibility to provide security assurances for another country? This is ridiculous if Ukraine can’t stand on its own then that is their problem. |
| usct... | No one should trust Putin. |
| ljar... | Can't trust verbal agreements, especially nothing out of Trump's mouth. As he has proven, changes in leadership of countries can negate past promises. Put in absolutely cannot be trusted. |
| mich... | Putin will continue to harrass and attack Ukraine. That is how he is wired and this has been humiliating for him. Trump is a sucker for him. It has been entertaining watching him get played by Putin |
| rrpa... | Neither Putin or Trump can be trusted |
| vtgr... | They should become members of NATO |
| milt... | It depends on the details and commitments. Putin has said he will not accept a NATO style guarantee. But that seems to be exactly what’s being discussed. However, there’s also still a high risk that they will never agree on the land swap details. |
| nrpe... | No, support could again come too little, too late again. Ukraine had security deals when the Soviet Union collapsed and you can see what happened now. |
| ambl... | I don't see the US being sufficiently committed to peace and fear the European countries will be stuck with the majority of responsibility. |
| jlcg... | It depends: how do you define long term who is elected 48th president of the United Sates, and then 49yh and 50th, and so on will Poutine survive Trump or the reverse how much will China pays to buy Crimea how will Artificial Intelligence be translated into Yddish |
| jonh... | The EU should state that if Russia attacks Ukraine in the future, Ukraine will be granted immediate acceptance into NATO and will be defended by NATO. |
| jdka... | After russias aggression, Ukraine should be admitted to nato. That would ensure failure of Russias expansion policies. |
| nanc... | Can’t trust Trump or Putin to keep their promises and their should be no deal without a ceasefire. |
| robe... | It should especially if we hold all parties to established commitments and agreements. |
| lora... | Yes, these will work. If they do not work is that the Europeans and US do not follow through. It was the same when Biden opened our borders and did not follow the law against illegal immigration. |
| koad... | President Trump, the master negotiator, knows what he is doing. |
| lmca... | Bring Ukraine into NATO. |
| mspe... | Trump has played into the hands of Putin, the absolute aggressor in this war. He is no friend of Ukraine and a Putin Puppet, writ hard on destroying our democracy and the Ukraine's. |
| donm... | Putin is not going to cede any illegally acquired territory in this confrontation. It will require a very united front from the US and EU to have him back away. Putin whole concept of NATO is rather silly. When is the last time NATO invaded another country? Rather rhetorical, however, no one is asking the question. |
| twin... | Dont trust putin! He continues bombing civilian sites daily and is a shady dealer! |
| mrse... | What are the security guarantees? Will they be NATO style with troops from multiple countries in Ukraine? |
| dcro... | You cannot believe any guarantee made by the US under Donald Trump. It is imperative thet European countries particpate, as they have a distinct interest in the safety and security of Ukraine. i |
| theg... | The US already provided territorial guarantees to Ukraine in the past in exchange for them giving up their nuclear weapons. We did not enforce the guarantee when Russia first began incursions into Ukrainian territory. Why do we believe that will work now? |
| mark... | Any agreement involving Putin is not a guarantee. |
| chri... | Any U.S. security guarantees made while Donald Trump, or anyone associated wth him in any way, is Commander-in-Chief are worth even less than the Munich Agreement signed by Neville Chamberlain on September 30, 1938. |
| chri... | What deal from Trump can ever be trusted?? Everyone knows the answer. |
| nasm... | No one can rely on Trump or his administration. |
| sara... | Puting is a liar bent on reconquest of Eastern Europe - his government cannot be trusted in any way. Unless there are specific an immediate triggers for delineated actions he will go back to aggressing in short order, and the international community will dither and let him advance as they have done so far in Ukraine. |
| moir... | I do not favor rewarding Russia for invading Ukraine. Russia is not a friend of the West and we should not treat them as such. |
