“The root causes of the conflict.”
These were startling words from a man purportedly on the path to peace.
But it is the nub of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s position of what must be solved for peace, after two weeks, or three months, depending on how you count, of mounting pressure for an immediate unconditional 30-day ceasefire. Unbothered, taking this most consequential of calls at a music school on the Sochi coast, the Kremlin head has returned to the start – to his false narrative about this war of choice being sparked by NATO expanding too fast.
If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it 5000000000000000 times: this Russian government has absolutely no intention of making peace until 100% of the former Soviet Bloc is Russia again. There will be no peace in Ukraine until it is Russian. There will be no peace in Eastern Europe until it is Russian. I have a sinking suspicion there will be no peace on the Asian continent until it is Russian.
We are in that section of the wheel where Empires are lusted after and built on the backs of the people. Good luck.