#How to make a footnote for the good war full

On the other: Radek Sikorski, the Polish chair of the European Parliament's EU-U.S. should set out the circumstances under which sanctions will be lifted in order to provide Putin with an off-ramp. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) is among those arguing that the U.S. His control over Russian media is such that he might believe he can sell a modest outcome - a new status for the eastern 'republics' and a promise on NATO, perhaps - as a victory, despite the high costs. There, Putin does have an advantage, however. It’s unclear whether battlefield realities could change that.īut having described his mission in Ukraine as one of “deNazification” (however absurd that may be), and spoken at length about Ukraine’s rightful place in Russia’s orbit, Putin would seem to have set the bar for success, at minimum, at the installation of a loyal government. Putin's other core demand, that Ukraine declare itself neutral and rule out future membership in NATO, has long been a nonstarter in Kyiv. Putin's calculus will only change if he comes under sufficient pressure at home - due to battlefield casualties and economic hardship - that he feels continuing the war is more perilous for him than ending it, says Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations.Įven in such a scenario, it’s unclear what exit Putin might be willing to take.

#How to make a footnote for the good war full

Still, Putin’s demands and demeanor - denouncing Zelensky’s administration as 'Nazis' and insisting on the full 'demilitarization' of a country he is invading - are not those of man who's ready to cut a deal. Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Now, even if he ultimately succeeds in removing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, he'll almost certainly face a prolonged, well-armed and motivated insurgency - a bad outcome for Russia and a worse one for Ukraine. The big picture: Putin has failed to force a quick capitulation from Kyiv. The outlines of a solution that leaves both intact are murkier. Russia's invasion could destroy Ukraine's sovereignty or Vladimir Putin’s regime.