What the Ukraine War Has Cost Us, and How It Should End

The Ukraine war has gone on too long for good solutions. There are now only bad and worse ways for it to end. Unfortunately, the United States has had a large hand in prolonging the war, even if we have not been directly involved. We need to look not only at the two countries directly involved, but also at our own role in the conflict.

Our press and many in our government have tried to paint Ukraine as a blameless victim, an underdog being attacked by a big bad bear with global conquest aspirations. Few today remember that NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, was formed to block the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the USSR, from moving into Western Europe during the period of reconstruction following World War II.

Communist USSR had ideological aspirations to convert the world to communism. Today, the USSR no longer exists

Communist USSR had ideological aspirations to convert the world to communism. Today, the USSR no longer exists. It collapsed, as do all socialist experiments eventually, from the inescapable unworkability of socialism in the real world. Russia was at the center of the USSR, but the Russia of today is not the Russia of Lenin and Stalin and Communist fever dreams, even if those are part of its history. Those dreams died thirty-five years ago, and Russia has been trying to rebuild its country along Western lines of capitalism and individualism that have proven so successful.

That rebuilding has needed energy and access to international trade, both of which depended in great part on passage through the former brother country of Ukraine. Gas pipelines constructed in the days of the USSR passed through Ukraine on the way from Russia to Europe where the gas fueled the prosperous economies of Germany, Italy and France. The seaports of Sevastopol in Crimea, at the end of long road and rail lines that passed through Ukraine, supported not only a Russian navy, but also commercial access to ocean based shipping.

Unfortunately for both Russia and Ukraine, certain powerful and corrupt parties in Ukraine realized the power they held over the Russian economy. Others, holding long standing grudges over Stalin's treatment of Ukrainians during the pre WWII Communist era, were persecuting and undertaking a form of ethnic cleansing against Russians in Eastern Ukraine who had moved there when the two nations were part of the same Union. These parties used the pipelines and sea access as leverage to exact concessions from Russia, a form of economic blackmail.

Imagine if Canada were to seek an agreement with China that would allow them to build military bases and missile sites along our northern border, only minutes from New York, DC, Boston, Chicago, Seattle

For many years, Russia tried repeatedly through diplomatic means to negotiate with these Ukraine parties, to come to acceptable terms regarding these vital assets, only to have agreements broken time and again as the greed of certain corrupt Ukrainian leaders led them to exact more and more. After years of trying to resolve matters through peaceful means, Russia finally, in 2014, invaded the first time, and apparently with CIA assistance, provoked a color revolution in an attempt to create a more stable and honest government that would keep its agreements. The 2014 invasion led to Russian annexation of Crimea with its seaports which once again provided Russia with good access to sea trade. This is only a tiny snapshot of the long and complex history of relations between the two entities, but does point out that neither side is blameless in the current conflict.

In large part, the current war is a result of the aspirations of Ukraine's current leader, Volodymyr Zelensky, to join NATO. Only a few years ago, the US had promised Russia that NATO would not be expanded eastward from Germany toward Russia. Since NATO was mistrustful and hostile to Russia, with its member states fearful of prior expansionist aspirations, Ukrainian membership in NATO was a legitimate concern of Russia. This was especially concerning as the US had reneged on its promise of non-expansion, with support for Poland, Romania, Latvia, and several other former USSR countries for membership in NATO. 

Imagine if Canada were to seek an agreement with China that would allow them to build military bases and missile sites along our northern border, only minutes from New York, DC, Boston, Chicago, Seattle. What if we had tried diplomatic means over a course of years to dissuade Canada from entering into such an agreement that would be a huge threat to our national security, only to have such negotiations fail at every turn.

DOGE has, and continues to, unmask much of the depth and breadth of our own corruption we have allowed to grow over decades

Would we invade Canada to prevent such an agreement? Would such invasion be justified? In 1962 we almost went to war with the USSR to prevent establishment of missile sites in Cuba, ninety miles from Florida. What should we expect Russia to do if a neighboring country with a troubled relationship wanted to enter a similar agreement with a potentially hostile power?

The Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 was the result of failed negotiations to resolve not only the issues around NATO membership, but also the pipelines and port access, treatment of ethnic Russians in eastern Ukraine and a limited set of other issues.

Regardless of how one might feel about the invasion and whether or not it was justified, Russia made one significant miscalculation in its attack. They assumed that the US and Europe would remain largely neutral as they had in 2014. If we did, the war would end quickly with minimal casualties on both sides. We didn't, and because we didn't, much of the blood shed since is on our hands as well as Russia's.

Our own corrupt administration under the questionable leadership of Joe Biden, along with a complicit media, a military-industrial complex looking for new opportunities, and a number of warhawks throughout our government, were overjoyed. They saw a chance to try out new weapons and systems, to get rid of aging munitions stocks, to provide funds, a large portion of which could be directed back to support Democrat causes in the US, and generally put the US on a near-war footing that would mask our own corruption.

The current Trump administration, through its efforts with DOGE, its investigations into Russiagate, and other activities has, and continues to, unmask much of the depth and breadth of our own corruption we have allowed to grow over decades. Aside from enriching our weapons manufacturers, a corrupt political party, and draining the resources of our middle class, our participation in Ukraine has greatly weakened our own national security, tarnished our moral leadership and authority, and diminished our own image as defenders of freedom and virtue .

Moreover, our support of Ukraine has pushed Russia, a natural ally, further into the arms of China

We depleted our munitions stocks which we would need were we to become involved in a war. These stocks have yet to be replenished, and will require great expense. The people of this country have been betrayed into thinking we were supporting an innocent victim of communist aggression when the aggrieved party had done much to provoke a war. It is much as though an antagonistic neighbor who had been throwing rocks at your house and breaking windows were to scream they were an innocent victim of a big bully when you caught them and tried to hold them accountable. Zelensky has been quite good at manipulating the media and international factors to obtain sympathy and support. The corrupt Biden administration found a willing partner in its own efforts.

Moreover, our support of Ukraine has pushed Russia, a natural ally, further into the arms of China. Culturally and economically, Russia has long sought closer alignment with the West. The US and NATO supported hostility has led Russia to reluctantly seek support from its natural rival China. The vast resources of Eastern Russia have long been an attraction to China, and not so long ago was the source of armed conflicts between the two countries. The bear and the dragon are not good friends, and will cooperate only out of necessity or advantage. Forcing them to play together is not in our best interests.

Last, and probably of greatest damage, is the fact that our support of Ukraine has led to millions of deaths of both Ukrainian citizens as well as Russians. Countless historic cities have been damaged or destroyed. Critical infrastructure for energy, water, food production, distribution, housing, medical, and a host of other essentials is in ruin. Old grievances have been reignited, and new ones fostered, making a lasting peaceful resolution difficult or even impossible. As always, while the corruption of a few leaders led to the war, it is the common people who pay the price in death and destruction.

So how should it end? If the US and NATO were to stop supporting Ukraine, the war would end in short order. Ukraine has already gone to the point of arming juveniles in an attempt to bolster its forces. While it might seem cruel to terminate support, it is likely the least cruel alternative available - certainly less than supporting the continuing meat grinder that now exists.

The US, NATO, the United Nations, and other players must stop meddling in the conflict

Many will argue for a negotiated peace. While that has the appearance of offering a bloodless solution, such is an illusion. Centuries of history shows that a lasting peace can only occur after a decisive victory, when the vanquished have tried as hard as they could and know that they were defeated and could do nothing more. Once victory has been obtained, the victor must then be restrained and show respect for their defeated enemy. From the times of the Roman Empire, where conquered peoples obtained the benefits of Roman roads, of consistent justice, of Roman law and defense, to the aftermath of WWII when the US helped Japan and Germany and Europe rebuild, the methods to build the foundations of peace through trust and friendship have remained consistent.

Attempts to establish peace without surrender have consistently failed. The partition of Korea is unstable and has been since the early 50s. Division of Vietnam did not last. Sudan has attempted division for years without success. Israel with Gaza and the West Bank is a current example. Throughout history, every attempt to obtain peaceful resolution of conflict without a decisive victory has been unsuccessful. Grievances fester, arguments that "we could have won if we had only tried a bit harder", and any injustices, especially by the victor, lead ultimately to renewed conflict.

Russia must be allowed to complete its conquest of Ukraine. It must then be the leading force in its rebuilding, and ultimately in its reformation as an independent nation. The US examples of what we did after WWII can serve as a model, but the principal source of humanitarian aid must be Russia. Only in this way can the corruption that led to the conflict be eliminated and the trust, respect, and friendship necessary for enduring peace be established.

The US, NATO, the United Nations, and other players must stop meddling in the conflict. Such involvement only prolongs the agony and interferes with peaceful resolution. Arguments that Russia is bent on world conquest are false. Russia has neither the resources nor the will for such conquest. It can barely conquer Ukraine. Such conquest is the surest pathway to peace. That is a major paradox in international relations. Time to learn the lessons of history, lest we repeat them.