Peace Protests: Is Appeasement a Path to Peace with Putin?

Global - Ekhbary News Agency

Peace Protests vs. Reality: Will Putin Yield to Gentle Pleas?

With the brutal Russian war against Ukraine soon entering its fifth year, claiming hundreds of thousands of lives on both sides and leaving behind horrific images from the front lines, calls for peace and protests against security conferences, such as the Munich Security Conference, are once again on the rise. These movements, while reflecting an understandable human despair over the ravages of conflict, prompt fundamental questions about their efficacy and impact amidst complex geopolitical power dynamics.

The desire to end the killing immediately, at any cost, is a natural human sentiment shared by many. However, adopting a 'peace at any cost' approach without a deep understanding of the conflict's nature and its true objectives can be naive and perilous. Calls for 'the killing must stop immediately, at any price!', 'no Munich Security Conference, but a peace conference!', 'negotiate with Putin!', and even 'just love each other!' often appear to be drawn from an idealistic world, far removed from the realpolitik practiced by the Kremlin.

Many of these demonstrators, self-proclaimed 'radical pacifists,' believe the conflict is a result of Western provocations and alleged NATO expansion. This narrative, also echoed by certain political factions in Germany and Europe, disregards historical facts and amounts to a 'distortion of history.' Putin, who initiated this brutal war, does not value morality or human lives; he views hundreds of thousands of victims merely as statistics in his pursuit of brutal power politics.

Those who turn a blind eye to this reality and willingly fall for the narratives of 'Putin-understanders' often disregard the suffering of Ukrainians. Their primary concern is their own fear that the seemingly distant war could spread to their own countries if Putin is 'provoked'—for instance, by daring to assist a brutally invaded country in its fight for survival or by finally delivering crucial weapons like Taurus cruise missiles, which could prevent further Ukrainian casualties.

In this logic of evasion, radical pacifists suggest that the Russian dictator would become peaceful forever if he were simply given what he wants in Ukraine. Even after the initial months of the war, some proposed that Ukrainians should simply surrender to Putin to quickly end the dying, enduring a 'small occupation' until Russia eventually relinquishes its grip. Yet, this thinking is fundamentally flawed. Europe would not be safe, and Putin would not stop. He certainly does not seek a fair peace that would cost him even an iota of his imperialistic fever dream: first the subjugation of Ukraine, and then the restoration of a greater Russian empire, with a neo-tsarist sphere of influence stretching from Vladivostok to Lisbon.

History shows that Putin will not yield if Europe extends its throat in appeasement. He will only concede when sufficient military counter-pressure is exerted, both in Ukraine and beyond. The painful but unavoidable realization is: 'If you want peace, prepare for war.' Of course, all diplomatic avenues should be pursued to end the killing as quickly as possible, and eventually, talks in the Kremlin will be necessary. However, these discussions must not be on Putin's terms or those of his kleptocratic friends in Washington, who might readily betray Ukraine for lucrative deals. Instead, they must be on the terms of Kyiv and Europe, safeguarding the principles of sovereignty and international justice.

A profound understanding of the Russian threat and the necessity of military deterrence, coupled with resolute diplomacy, is the only path towards a lasting and just peace that preserves Europe's security and stability in the face of imperial ambitions.

Ekhbary News Agency