Opposite Sides of the Coin: Peace or War in Ukraine

While many free world leaders in Europe and in Washington, DC, are hoping against hope that Russia’s war against Ukraine will end diplomatically and peacefully, Kremlin officials have repeated their longstanding belief that boots on the ground will rule the day.

This past Sunday, June 8, the leaders of France, Germany and the United Kingdom, in a joint statement, backed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy who “supported the proposal for a direct dialogue between Ukraine and Russia, with active US and European participation, to bring about a ceasefire and support further negotiations.”

Zelenskyy met with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at 10 Downing Street for talks as Russia’s war has stretched into its fifth year.

The leaders “supported the proposal for a direct dialogue between Ukraine and Russia, with active US and European participation, to bring about a ceasefire and support further negotiations,” they said.

“The current line of contact should be the starting point for negotiations,” it said, adding that “international borders must not be changed by force.”

On the other hand, following the revelation of President Zelenskyy’s letter to Russian fuhrer Putin about meeting to end the war that Moscow launched, the Kremlin’s foreign minister again expounded that soldiers fighting along the front line will decide the war’s outcome and not negotiations. An obvious inconsistency with, among others, the White House.

Russian officials were irate in their condemnation of Zelenskyy’s surprise communication with Putin. Sergey Lavrov specifically pointed out on Monday, June 8, that Moscow is unhappy that the letter was “circulated around the world,” claiming that “polite people do not behave this way.”

Lavrov also claimed that for the Kremlin it “indicates that Ukraine has no interest in negotiation,” despite Kyiv’s numerous attempts to initiate talks with Moscow.

Lavrov, who apparently has recently fallen out of grace with Putin, echoed his leader’s earlier statement that “it is not negotiations but the actions of those involved” on the front lines of Russia’s war “that are crucial to the outcome” of Moscow’s full-scale invasion.

“But so far, to our great regret, our American partners have shown no interest in this.”

Lavrov expressed his disappointment and “concern” over a statement by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who recently said at a congressional hearing that Washington cannot act as a mediator because it supports Ukraine.

However, during hearings on June 3, Rubio also downplayed the military option to ending the war, saying said the US does not see a military path to ending the conflict. He said the war can only be stopped through diplomatic means, but this is hindered by the parties’ lack of willingness to compromise.

According to Rubio, Washington continues to support any efforts aimed at establishing peace, as it believes that the war in Ukraine has no military solution.

NB8 Accepts Ukraine; Stands by Kyiv in Support

The Nordic-Baltic 8, a geopolitical association of countries from the Northern Hemisphere, meeting in Tallin, Estonia, has opened its membership to Ukraine and pledged its support in Ukraine’s time of need as the group plans military and humanitarian aid for the Winter.

It has been my opinion that Ukraine’s association with any Western group will provide benefits for both sides.

In the press statement composed by the Office of the Prime Minister of Estonia, the officials from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania wholeheartedly welcomed President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine and assured him that the attendees are his closest friends.

Since Russia launched this iteration of aggression against Ukraine the NB8 countries have been among Ukraine’s closest supporters, offering it military, political and humanitarian support. As for the three former captive nations, their advocacy for Ukraine has been historic.

“You are facing a full-scale invasion. You are fighting. You are resisting, for Ukraine, for the civilians of Ukraine, but also for the rest of Europe. And I think this summit has confirmed once again that we stand by you in our support,” the press statement emphasized.

The member-states conceded that Ukraine has a lot to offer, not least of which is the strongest army in Europe.

The admission that Ukraine and it Armed Forces are also fighting for the rest of Europe, emphasizing a united front against Russia’s ongoing belligerence and America’s hesitancy.

The NB8, in their statement, recognized Ukraine’s battlefield achievements by “pushing back on the front line, defending yourself more effectively.” Russia, they pointed out, “Russia is struggling, but also able to hit Ukraine inside, at civilians, in an unacceptable way.” Indeed, the United Nations has recently condemned the sharp rise in civilian deaths and injuries due to Russia’s daily bombardments.

Noting that nobody wants peace more than Ukraine and its President, the NB8 acknowledged as much, while noting that Zelenskyy unsuccessfully sought an end to Russia’s war in his surprise letter to Putin but the Russian fuhrer turned down the suggestion.

“So again, I think that Ukraine is proving to be open to enter into such kind of dialogue, but on clear conditions,” the group wrote.

Norway supports your call for peace, and we are ready to contribute to any efforts aimed at reaching that goal, said Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.

“In the meantime, we will have to be steadfast in our support. And we have agreed again, what are the key points now; air defense, defense against ballistic missiles, supporting your energy, and supporting other humanitarian needs inside the country, preparing for a winter which is not that far away,” the group statement said.

Looking toward future cooperation, the statement indicated new summits with the G7 and NATO and “the cooperation here with Ukraine is shifting in nature.” 

“It is now much more of a two-way street, because Ukraine has a lot to offer. This is perhaps the strongest army in Europe, and with an immense ability to innovate and to move forward. And we are happy to say that we are here in a partnership. And I think that in the NB8 context, we have that same approach,” the group concluded. “So, we look forward to taking on the NB8 cooperation. And that will be in the very continued cooperation with Ukraine, Mr. President.”

UN Urges End to Civilian Casualties in Ukraine

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has verified at least 60,659 civilian casualties in Ukraine since the full-scale Russian invasion began, with 15,850 killed and 44,809 injured.

The UN also notes that actual figures are likely significantly higher due to reporting delays in active combat zones.

Casualty Breakdown & Trends

Total Confirmed Casualties: At least 60,659 (15,850 killed, 44,809 injured) since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

Recent Monthly Toll: In April 2026, at least 238 civilians were killed and 1,404 were injured, the highest monthly toll since July 2025.

Children: At least 766 children have been killed and 2,540 injured.

Primary Causes of Harm

Frontline Areas: Over 60% of all casualties occur in frontline communities. Short-range drone attacks in these areas have spiked, making evacuations and emergency care extremely dangerous.

Urban Centers: The extensive use of long-range missiles and loitering munitions has caused massive civilian harm in populated, non-frontline regions.

Mines & Explosives: Mines and explosive remnants of war account for significant civilian deaths and injuries.

Demographic Vulnerability: Older persons (those aged 60 and above) are disproportionately affected, making up nearly half of all civilian deaths in frontline communities.

The war in Ukraine is deadlier today than at any point since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, top UN officials warned the Security Council on June 8, as Council members repeatedly stressed “enough is enough” and pleaded for an immediate ceasefire and a return to diplomacy.

“Appallingly, the last few months have seen some of the most extensive aerial attacks of the war,” Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, told the 15-member Council as it met for the fifth time in three weeks on developments related to Ukraine or the spillover effects of the war.

Just hours after the last Council briefing on Ukraine, on June, the aggressor-state launched one of its biggest missile and drone bombardments across Ukraine.  “Kyiv was heavily hit,” DiCarlo said, adding that, according to local authorities, seven people were killed and 89 injured.  In Dnipro, missile strikes reportedly hit a residential area killing 16 people, including 2 children.  Civilian casualties and extensive damage were also reported in Kharkiv, Poltava, Sumy, Zaporizhzhia and Chernihiv regions.

Deadly incidents have also been reported in areas currently under the control of Russia, DiCarlo stated.  On June 3, eight people were reportedly killed when a drone struck a bus in Donetsk region, and on June 4, in occupied Crimea, three people were reportedly killed in a drone strike, according to Russia occupying authorities. Striking civilian transportation vehicles and facilities has been commonplace by Russia.

Further, she condemned attacks on nuclear facilities, welcomed the recent exchange of prisoners of war between Ukraine and Russia, and urged the immediate return of all forcibly transferred Ukrainian children. Reiterating the UN Secretary-General’s call for an immediate ceasefire, she stressed that peace must be consistent with the UN Charter and relevant resolutions.

“The past week has brought another surge in civilian casualties and suffering,” stated Indrika Ratwatte, Acting Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, via video link.  At least 30 civilians were reported killed and over 200 injured across Ukraine between 5 June and the early hours of today in “one of the most significant attacks on the capital since February 2022.”

Emphasizing that these attacks are “unacceptable,” Ratwatte said that international rules obliging civilian protection “exist to limit suffering and preserve dignity precisely when there is war.”  “They must be respected,” he said reiterating that the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is ready to work with both parties to help front-line civilians receive aid.

“Today, 10.8 million people require humanitarian assistance.  Yet, we have received less than half the funding needed to reach them,” he said, pointing out:  “My asks to this Council are straightforward.”  He called on the Council to use its influence to reverse the erosion of civilian protection and to help preserve and expand humanitarian operations to reach civilians in need “wherever they are.” Noting that Ukraine “remains one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises”, he urged Council members to ensure that humanitarian organizations have the funding needed to be present where needs are greatest.  “We urge all those with influence:  please, use it,” he concluded.

Several delegates welcomed the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s call last week in this letter to Putin for a full ceasefire and diplomatic end to the war, with the representative of the United Kingdom urging:  “Enough is enough, a comprehensive ceasefire is long overdue.”

The UK Chargé d’Affaires, Deputy Ambassador James Ford observed: “Allow me to say that every civilian death in this war is a tragedy. These are people, not statistics. And we cannot allow the normalization of such death and destruction. But we must also be clear about cause and responsibility. Russia chose to start this illegal and unprovoked war of aggression. Further civilian casualties on both sides could be avoided tomorrow if Russia agreed to a full ceasefire, as Ukraine has done. But Moscow refuses to do so.

“Mr Chair, the reality is that Russia is not seeking sympathy. It is pushing propaganda. It is deploying its disinformation machine, designed to divide and deflect. And it is manufacturing a false equivalence to try to justify its illegal war of aggression. The focus of this forum should remain on facts and on accountability – and on the simple truth that Russia could stop further civilian suffering at any moment, by ending its war against Ukraine,” Ford concluded. 

Mass Murderer  and Drug Dealer — Both Russian

Here’s a story that you don’t read everyday but you wish you did. 

Russia says arrest of Bishop Hilarion, who heads Orthodox congregation in Karlovy Vary, was politically motivated setup.

Czech police have released a Russian Orthodox bishop who was detained on suspicion of drug possession, after Moscow condemned the arrest as a politically motivated setup, according to The Guardian of Great Britain.

Bishop Hilarion, also known by his secular name, Grigory Alfeyev, was stopped by police on Sunday, May 26, in Karlovy Vary, a spa town in western Czechia, popular with Russian tourists, after officers discovered containers of a white substance in the trunk of his car.

In a statement published on Tuesday after his release without charge, Hilarion said forensic tests had confirmed the substance was a banned narcotic, but insisted he had been framed.

“The mere discovery of a prohibited substance does not answer the key question – how these items ended up in the vehicle in the first place,” his post on Telegram said.

Hilarion, 60, heads the Russian Orthodox congregation in Karlovy Vary, which is home to a sizeable Russian diaspora.

The Czech national drug headquarters had said the bishop’s vehicle was stopped after an anonymous tip was received alleging the transportation of narcotic and psychotropic substances.

Russia’s foreign ministry called the arrest a “deliberate, orchestrated provocation”.

The Russian Orthodox church described the incident as a “classic setup,” while Russia’s foreign ministry said it had summoned Czechia’s chargé d’affaires in Moscow, Jan Ondřejka, to formally protest against the detention.

Hilarion previously headed the Russian Orthodox church’s department for external church relations, essentially serving as the church’s foreign minister.

Once regarded as a close confidant of Patriarch Kirill, the powerful head of the Russian Orthodox church and close ally of Vladimir Putin, Hilarion fell out of favor with the church leadership in recent years.

Unlike many senior clergymen who openly back Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Hilarion neither publicly supported nor condemned the war, and was demoted and posted abroad shortly after the invasion began in February 2022.

In December 2024, the Russian Orthodox church’s synod removed Hilarion from the administration of the Budapest-Hungarian diocese after a younger aide accused him of sexual harassment – allegations he denies. He also faced criticism over his allegedly lavish lifestyle, including yachting and skiing holidays, as well as reports about his ownership of an estate near Budapest. Hilarion has said he has been able to purchase property and fund his lifestyle from royalties received for his books and films.

Hilarion was later reassigned to the Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Karlovy Vary.

Lavrov Blames US for not forcing Ukraine’s Surrender

It has been my contention since Ukraine became a captive of Russia that Moscow is not interested in peace between Ukraine and Russia. On the other hand, Russia is interested in pursuing its war against Ukraine until its 35-year independence ends with Ukraine’s return to Russian captivity.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey admitted so much, according to Reuters.

The Russo–Ukraine war continues because the United States has refused to pressure Kyiv into accepting defeat, Lavrov said in an interview with state propaganda network RT on June 4 that was monitored by Reuters.

Lavrov pushed back on recent comments by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio who said Russia had not shown readiness to make concessions in a peace deal. Lavrov referred to the Anchorage summit on August.15, 2025, and claimed that Russian führer Vladimir Putin accepted proposals from U.S. President Donald Trump on initial steps that would have halted fighting and opened the way to negotiations.

“If the United States had genuinely promoted its initiative, we would already be sitting at the negotiating table and the hostilities would have stopped,” Lavrov said. He added that, in his view, it was Kyiv that was unwilling to negotiate.

“We do not see a readiness for dialogue on the other side. We cannot find on the other side the people with whom we could hold a dialogue,” he said.

In other words, Russia would rather discuss Ukraine’s articles of capitulation from its point of view.

Lavrov also said Moscow was “ready” for peace talks but criticized comments by NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte during a visit to Kyiv on June 2, when Rutte said Ukraine will one day join NATO. Lavrov accused Rutte of disregarding U.S. objections and suggested, without providing evidence that Putin and Trump had agreed to rule out Kyiv’s accession to the alliance.

“He didn’t care that the United States, in the person of President Trump, considered this unacceptable. Rutte simply declared, embracing [President Volodymyr] Zelenskyy, that Ukraine will be in NATO,” Lavrov said.

As Ukraine’s closest allies and supporters concur, Ukraine will never agree to Russia’s demands for peace and capitulation. Even Russia’s so-called peace proposal is filled with danger and death for Ukraine and Ukrainians.

Exasperated by Putin’s Stubbornness, Zelenskyy Sends Letter to Russian Fuhrer Offering to End War Honestly, with Dignity and Guarantees

After more than four years of Russia’s war against Ukraine, countless one-sided meetings, numerous unfulfilled promises, expectations that have gone with the wind, stagnation, Russian stubbornness and lies, not to mention the death of countless unarmed Ukrainian men, women and children and the destruction of Ukrainian cities, environment and countryside, an obviously exasperated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared in his letter to the Russian dictator “Enough of this war! Ukraine offers to end this war.”

Indeed, despite vague invitations, Zelenskyy said there is nothing for him to do in Moscow as well as for Putin to do in Kyiv.

“I propose to set a clear date for the meeting,” Zelenskyy wrote.

The Ukrainian President pointed out that he is not worried about Russians, but rather “I care about the Ukrainians.”

Zelenskyy proposed that Europe needs to participate as well as the United States.

“Enough of the war. Ukraine offers to end this war. We must do it honestly, with dignity, and guarantee that there will be no new outbreak of war. We see that the United States is paying all its attention to the issue of Iran, and it is wrong to simply wait for the turn of their attention to the war in Europe. Ukraine proposes to end the war in the format between us and you. I propose a meeting with you,” the Ukrainian leader wrote.

Anyone who is hoping against hope for reconciliation between Ukraine and Russia is naïve, Zelenskyy said, because “your war” has “forever separated Ukraine and Russia.”

“The front line now is the line from which diplomacy should begin. Ukraine is ready to cease fire completely — for the time when negotiations will continue. And this is standard practice, which is confirmed now and the circumstances around Iran. Trying to establish real silence is the best way to start talking to each other. We believe that this will be not just an attempt, but a real ceasefire, if you want it,” he continued.

Zelenskyy’s parting warning to Putin indicated that he will also have to fight much more for your existence — not Russia’s, but your own. And this is not a threat from me or Ukraine. These are facts of Russian history that you know well: when Russia gets tired, changes happen.

“We can work on such fatigue.

“You can stop your war.

“Eternal memory to all whose lives were taken by this war.

“Glory to Ukraine!”

The typical Ukrainian battle cry of “Glory to Ukraine” surely told the Russian dictator that Ukraine and Ukrainians will never change their aspirations and colors.

Vladimir Putin rejected an offer from Volodymyr Zelenskyy to hold a face-to-face meeting, insisting instead that Russia will achieve its war goals in Ukraine, including seizing all of the eastern Donbas region.

Speaking at the St Petersburg economic forum, the Russian president described the open letter from his Ukrainian counterpart containing the offer as rude. He refused to use Zelenskyy’s name, referring to him only as its author. Asked if they could meet to discuss an end to the conflict, Putin replied: “So far I see no point.”

As they say, you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink either stupidity or stubbornness.

Following is the test of President Zelenskyy’s letter to the Russian führer.

Open Letter
To the President of the Russian Federation
From the President of Ukraine

When you led Russia more than 26 years ago, many in Ukraine had a positive attitude towards you. That was the case. That is already in the past.

Now the absolute majority of Ukrainians perceive positively the fact that our long-range drones visited the opening of your forum in St. Petersburg, having overcome a distance of more than 1,000 kilometers. As you well know, this distance is not the limit of our capabilities.

Twenty-six years of your power have completely changed the agenda in relations between Ukraine and Russia. From discussions of trade turnover and other civil issues, our peoples have moved on to the topic of exclusively hits and losses.

Almost half of your 26 years of power in Russia you have spent in the war against Ukraine.
Whatever you say about NATO, geopolitics and the Russian language, this war is your personal choice – a war without a real reason. This is how history will remember it.

This time could have gone very differently.

We often hear that war suits you. Of course, not when it comes to the safety of your residence in Valdai or the parade in Moscow. Your own life is valuable to you.

But now we all see that this finally ceases to suit the Russians — the fact that the war gives more and more negativity to Russia.

They do not like our drones and missiles.

They do not like the shortage of gasoline and the constant rise in prices.

They do not like the constant bans.

They do not like your intention to organize a second wave of mobilization to expand the war to another direction in Ukraine or to direct it against some other countries — Russia's neighbors.

They do not like the fact that there is no end in sight to your war.

Yes, you can still force the Russians to exist like this.

But your resources are significantly reduced.

You will not have enough money and political power to continue buying the loyalty of the Russians, as you have done for 26 years. We will do everything to ensure that the world takes care of this.

As you yourself say, "we need to crunch the numbers."

Yesterday I received a report on the losses of your army on the front in Ukraine in May. This is again over 30 thousand killed and seriously wounded Russians. We keep exactly this figure every month, and we have video confirmation of each of your losses — this is not unfounded.

We know that 63 percent of your losses on the front are killed, and only 37 percent are wounded. In the 21st century, armies cannot afford such a balance. In the future, the share of those killed will increase.

It is not that we in Ukraine are worried about the Russians. After everything that your war has brought to Ukraine.

But I care about the Ukrainians.

We are losing our people, and each of our losses hurts us. And even if the level of Ukrainian losses is one to five or one to six compared to Russian losses, it still matters a lot.

It also matters that you regularly, every few months, postpone the deadlines for capturing our regions, primarily the Donetsk region. You will not capture it this year either.

But we in Ukraine do not want a permanent war. We know very well that it is immeasurably better without war. We want to achieve this.

I am sure that the majority of Russians are ready to give a positive answer to this, and you know it.

Many did not believe that Ukraine would hold out for so long on defense.

You did not believe. And those who advised you did not believe it either. That was a mistake.
You did not expect full-scale resistance from Ukraine and did not predict that everything would go this far. But we are all here — in the fifth year of a full-scale clash.

Do not be afraid to get out of the war — this is the main thing that is needed from you now.

Ukraine retains its independence. And will retain it. Despite all other predictions.

We have united many in the world in defense of Ukraine and against you. We have found weapons and finances.

We receive support, you receive sanctions. And so it will continue until there is justice for Ukraine, which we want and which can be achieved.

We will not allow those who try to convince you that sanctions against Russia will be significantly weakened and that support for Ukraine will be significantly reduced without a significant change in your position on Ukraine to succeed. Orbán’s example demonstrates the shame that those who choose to help Russia in the war against us end up with.

Ukraine went through hard winters when you tried to destroy our energy. We survived, and even in the darkness, the resilience of the Ukrainians remained.

We brought the war to your territory, and you could not have done it without the help of North Korea. You are the first Russian ruler who was forced to turn to Pyongyang for help.

And today you are completely dependent on China — also for the first time in Russian history.

You counted on the Ukrainians not having enough strength to defend themselves, but now our guys are helping to build defense for our partners in the Middle East and the Gulf.

You were hoping for internal unrest in Ukraine, but it was your own military formations that rebelled against you. June 23 will be another anniversary, and silence will not erase this fact from history.

And now your own government officials, businessmen and propagandists are looking at you with obvious fatigue. The world sees it.

The world is not tired of Ukraine, which you have long counted on. But even those in the global world who help you circumvent sanctions and keep the economy afloat are tired of Russia.

You can't help but notice this. After 26 years, old age has begun to take its toll. The further along you go, the greater your fatigue will be.

We have seen intelligence documents that you are now considering war plans for 2027 and 2028. We also know that you hope that ballistics will do for you what everything else has not.

You want to drag Belarus even further into the war, and now we are forced to prepare for that as well. We see that you are playing some kind of game with Transnistria. Your propagandists are threatening all of Russia's neighbors in one way or another. Do you really want to go through all of this?

The choice is yours now.

Enough of the war.

Ukraine offers to end this war.

We must do it honestly, with dignity, and guarantee that there will be no new outbreak of war.

We see that the United States is paying all its attention to the issue of Iran, and it is wrong to simply wait for the turn of their attention to the war in Europe.

Ukraine proposes to end the war in the format between us and you.

I propose a meeting with you.

Everyone has heard your representatives, smiling, saying that I can come to Moscow. But after such 26 years, there is nothing for the Ukrainian leader in your capital, as well as the Russian leader in Kyiv, to do.

There are countries that traditionally receive leaders to resolve issues of war and peace. Switzerland, Turkey, the countries of the Arab world — many can and want to host this meeting.

It is the leaders who decide key issues — it has always been and will always be so.

I propose to set a clear date for the meeting.

We heard that you were promised in Alaska to resolve some things that concern Ukraine and Europe. But you see that Ukrainian and European issues are not resolved in Anchorage.

Other specific participants may join the bilateral track that has been started between us. Since the war is ongoing in Europe, and we in Ukraine need security guarantees, and you want security guarantees for yourself, it seems logical to involve those who can really act as guarantors.

We believe that Europe needs to participate — those who really have the ability to influence the situation.

We believe that the United States should be in the process, and this is what can determine the configuration of the new security architecture in our part of the world.

We have already had the experience of many agreements with Russia and the Minsk agreements that did not work. Therefore, we must first find our bilateral answers to the questions that exist, and not hide from the complex issues behind any formulations, technical groups, or wasting time in shuttle diplomacy.

With your war, you have forever separated Ukraine and Russia.

The front line now is the line from which diplomacy should begin.

Ukraine is ready to cease fire completely — for the time when negotiations will continue. And this is standard practice, which is confirmed now and the circumstances around Iran. Trying to establish real silence is the best way to start talking to each other. We believe that this will be not just an attempt, but a real ceasefire, if you want it.

You know that the United States can provide monitoring of the ceasefire along the stop line.
Ukraine is ready for an exchange of prisoners of war on the principle of "all for all," and this could be a good prologue to the end of the war.

We need to take serious steps to return civilians and children who were taken out during the war.

We need to determine what the future will be for all future generations of Ukrainians and Russians.

If you personally do not agree that it is time to end this war, Ukraine will continue to fight for its existence. We will have those who will support us.

But you will also have to fight much more for your existence — not Russia’s, but your own. And this is not a threat from me or Ukraine. These are facts of Russian history that you know well: when Russia gets tired, changes happen.

We can work on such fatigue.

You can stop your war.

Eternal memory to all whose lives were taken by this war.

Glory to Ukraine! 

Escalation of Russia-Ukraine War Aids Moscow; Supporting Ukraine Ensures Peace and Justice

Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed his belief in the Washington Examiner that the Russia-Ukraine War “has no military solution” but fears an increase in long-range exchanges could dramatically escalate the violence.

For me that expression indicates that the United States is not interested is Ukraine’s victory and Russia’s defeat but rather an inconclusive bloody conflict that will flare up from time to time. That eventuality will not force Washington to deal with a victor and loser. For the Trump Administration that will be tolerable so long as neither side doesn’t reach for the nuclear trigger.

However, the powers that be, especially the ones in Washington and Moscow, aren’t considering the effect on the people of Ukraine who have had to tolerate neighboring Russia for more years than the accepted duration of a dozen years of this iteration of Russia’s belligerence against Ukraine.

Speaking to Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) during a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing on Wednesday, June 3, Rubio offered a lengthy assessment of the Russian invasion. He noted specifically that "one thing that has changed" the nature of the conflict is Ukraine becoming "increasingly effective at conducting long-range strikes deep into Russia" and hitting "critical nodes of the Russian economy."

Indeed, Ukraine has recently been leading this war in strategy, tactics and weapons. It is the only non-member of NATO to have battlefield experience fighting Russians and much to the chagrin of Washington and Moscow, Kyiv is more than holding its own. It is actually dictating the war’s tempo and course. Its drones are reaching far into Russia, destroying its energy industry, an achievement that is scaring Russians, Trump and Putin. For how will the leaders of America and Russia be able to live with their peoples and themselves with albatross of defeat around its neck.

"Russia has always been capable of these long-range strikes," Rubio exaggerated but Ukraine's ability to respond in kind means "the risk of escalation is real — more real than it was two years ago." Bloody escalation is possible but only if the USA declines to reject its historical mission and decides to side with Russia.

An onslaught of drones and missiles poured onto Ukraine on Tuesday, killing nearly two dozen and injuring over 100 more. This was not the first such attack but one that was expected by all sides. The Institute for the Study of War speculated that the ramp-up in recent bombing campaigns is meant to pick up the slack of a fatigued land invasion that has slowed to a glacial pace. Another reason could be that Putin has to demonstrate to his team and supporters and regular Russians that he has some fight left in him.

“The Ukrainians have actually made some battlefield gains in the last month,” Rubio told Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), praising them for "bravely" and "effectively fighting." But its really than that. Ukraine showed that it has the  cards and numbers, to paraphrase President Trump, to stay in the fight and possibly hurt Russia enough to force it to consider dropping out of the war.

He cited the Department of War in asserting that the Russian side is among the first forces in modern history to suffer more deaths than casualties on the battlefield. Yes, the numbers are horrendous. They show that Ukraine’s Armed Forces are skilled enough to cause significant battlefield deaths among Russians. Or Moscow is not concerned by the deaths of its citizens so it just pushes more of them through the war’s death mill.

“I don't think there's any doubt at this point in the minds of most observers around the world, and I would say in the minds of some inside of Russia, that the invasion of Ukraine has been a strategic disaster for them,” Rubio said, adding that Russia “may not even be able militarily to achieve the objectives they're demanding now in negotiations.”

Rubio said the Trump Administration is not optimistic about the prospects of establishing peace any time soon. Therefore, since Ukraine has the edge and to preserve human lives, Trump, Rubio, Witkoff and others should coerce the Kremlin into throwing in the towel.

In his series of four hearings on Capitol Hill beginning Tuesday, Rubio repeatedly asserted that the "demands that both sides have to end [the war] have been far apart to this point." Indeed, Russians want to kill Ukrainians while Ukrainians want to live in peace on their ancient land.

Speaking to Durbin, according to the Washington Examiner, the secretary reiterated a point he made earlier in the day when testifying before the House Foreign Affairs Committee — that the United States is playing a difficult role in peace talks because U.S. officials are not "impartial mediators," furnishing Ukraine with weapons and sanctioning the Kremlin.

Consequently, that policy should be forthrightly driven home for the sake of peace and justice.