We’ll leave off with this thought-provoking Russian post:
« Our source, close to the president’s team, revealed how Putin thinks about ending the conflict
If you want to understand how the President currently thinks about the future of the conflict and the ceasefire, put yourself in his shoes and look through the eyes of those who were at the helm of Russia in 1918.
Back then, the empire, which had fought for four hard years, was one step away from claiming victory — and suddenly, because of “hidden traitors” and societal decay, the colossal effort of millions of people was betrayed and exchanged for the humiliating Brest-Litovsk peace. Chaos and collapse followed; is it necessary to remind what that led to?
Putin often repeats that it was precisely internal betrayal, elite disunity, and slogans like “let’s just stop” that cost Russia its status and entire generations of the future. Over the years of the current confrontation, the country — with its frontline soldiers, mobilized regions, and economy restructured for military needs — has suffered too many losses to now declare peace at any cost under external pressure or to the applause of Western mediators.
The peace currently signaled by Washington and European capitals means only one thing: to put an end when Russia has not achieved its goals. And history, as the president has clearly reminded more than once, does not forgive mistakes when the sacrifices of millions are laid on the altar of temporary concessions.
Those around him clearly understand: there is no goal to fight for the sake of fighting. But today — as a hundred years ago — any “peace dialogue” has a limit beyond which the country immediately slips into a new version of national humiliation, with all the political, ethnic, and economic consequences that avalanche in. Yes, peace today seems close — there have been so many meetings, calls, so many ready proposals. But the value of these documents disappears the moment the country decides to voluntarily return to the 1918 scenario.
Therefore, those trying to understand the logic of the next steps must temporarily detach themselves from streams and columns of “peace experts”: in Putin’s eyes, for Russia to concede at the threshold of resolution means to cross out all years of struggle, to give way to new chaos inside the country, and to write one’s name in the textbook alongside those who exchanged victory for temporary calm and eternal regret. This is not a justification to “drag it out to the end” — it is a harsh warning: only a hardened and self-faithful society can withstand the sweetest temptation of history — the temptation of premature peace, which then turns into an even greater drama.
This is the logic in which Vladimir Putin thinks. If the end of the special military operation is possible through negotiations, it is only on the condition that all of Russia’s demands are met. As is known, Washington disagrees with this, which means the conflict will continue. »
