Russia should just withdraw to pre-2022 borders, oh, if only international power struggles were that simple. If history has taught us anything, it’s that leaders don’t give up hard-won ground because someone demands it.
Power is never surrendered; it’s exchanged, bargained, leveraged. That’s the difference between wishful thinking and realpolitik.
Then your point about Recognizing that Putin is a ruthless player isn’t an endorsement it’s an acknowledgment of reality. And if you refuse to acknowledge reality, well, that’s how you lose.
I favor Ukraine. I see the stakes, the struggle, and the necessity of standing firm. But standing firm doesn’t mean blinding yourself to the nature of the opponent.
It doesn’t mean pretending that power dynamics disappear just because you wish they would. Understanding how Putin operates his calculations, his strategies, his willingness to play the long game doesn’t make me sympathetic. It makes me informed.
Because here’s the truth: if you don’t study your enemy, you’re walking into battle blind. And blind soldiers don’t win wars they get used, they get outmaneuvered, and in the end, they get discarded. I’d rather see the board for what it is, every piece, every player, and aim to understand all sides and points of view. That’s not sympathy. That’s strategy.