Presidents Putin and Trump are expected to speak about Ukraine in the coming days. Ending Russia’s war in Ukraine will be official US policy, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said earlier this week during his interview with CBS Morning News. “It’s a war and a conflict that was started by Russia, but it is now a stalemate, a protracted and bloody conflict,” To be sure, ending the war is an important goal, but on what terms?
Rubio said that peace must be “sustainable.” However, Kyiv is currently in a poor negotiating position unless the United States significantly bolsters support. Vladimir Putin remains committed to maximalist goals in a peace settlement. This stance is dangerous. Moscow’s goals go beyond Ukraine. To prevent a larger war and achieve sustainable peace, Russia must lose in Ukraine. It is an attainable goal.