Biden-Putin Dialogue Reaffirms Kremlin’s Rule
At the request or insistence of the Moscow dictator, the two
presidents spoke for nearly an hour on Thursday, December 30, in hopes of
deflating the extremely dangerous Russian military buildup on Ukraine’s border
that could explode into a regional if not global war that will dwarf World War
Two.
Despite the naïve questions posed by some news writers and
broadcasters about Moscow intentions, the reason is simple and everlasting. The
Kremlin wants to rebuild its empire by re-subjugating the former captive nations
of Ukraine, the Baltic States, Poland and others. By reaching the geo-political
and military dimensions of the late Soviet Union, Moscow would be feared and
respected by all countries and international organizations such as NATO. And
the Atlantic alliance will think three times about edging closer Russia’s
border.
Russia is certainly successfully heading in the direction of
ruling the global roost. It threatens the region and world under the guise of
fearing for its security – imagine today’s NATO deciding it will subdue or
vanquish Russia. World leaders take notice, plead for cooler heads to prevail
and pledge to meet with the aggressor like Neville
Chamberlain did in 1938. Consequently, the White House agreed to talk with
the Kremlin about Ukraine.
Would Franklin Roosevelt
and Winston Churchill have met with Adolph Hitler about Nazi invasions of
Europe?
The inconclusive conversation was at the same offensive to
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and
the Ukrainian nation because it violated the principle enunciated by President Viktor Poroshenko: Nothing about
Ukraine without Ukraine!
Two options still remain on the table: a diplomatic solution,
which means that Moscow would give into the free world’s pleas and other
enticements, or sanctions and retributions, which mean that Russia would be painfully
punished for invading Ukraine again.
The first one is obviously out of the question. Leaders of the
former captive nations that are equally concerned by Moscow’s conceivable
invasion of their independent countries also favor a strong, punitive response
to Russia’s belligerence.
The only course of action is to punish Russia for disrupting
global peace and security. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Biden “urged Russia to de-escalate tensions with
Ukraine” and “made clear that the United States and its allies and partners
will respond decisively if Russia further invades Ukraine.” No details were
given.
Putin has promised to sever diplomatic relations with the
United States in the event of drastic reprisals. Washington should immediately jump
on this option before a Russian invasion thereby demonstrating its hardline
commitment and perhaps forcing Russia to stand down.
Punitive sanctions should happen before Russia sends its
army across the Ukrainian frontier, which will surely lead to bloodshed the
amounts of which haven’t been seen since the Second World War. Experts have
opined that the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which are being bolstered by the
United States, some free world countries, and the x-captive nations, are vastly
improved since the 1991 Declaration of Independence. However, they and
realistically all other armies are no match for the Russian military machine.
That prospect is not expected to diminish the Ukrainian armed forces’ nationalistic
commitment and spirit to defending the country and nation to the last bullet. Moreover,
the Ukrainian civilian population is preparing to join the fight with auxiliary
and guerrilla armies like Ukrainians had mobilized during World War Two – the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA).
Training has already begun.
The holidays notwithstanding, the Ukrainian nation, the
people, are going about their holiday and New Year chores entirely cognizant
that a full blown war with Russia is coming. They feel it in their blood and
souls and no telephone conversation between Biden and Putin will assuage their precarious
certainty because regrettably Biden doesn’t rule the outcome unless he takes a
hard, immovable posture. Otherwise, Putin will continue to rule and the free
world will bow at his feet.
A businessman from western Ukraine confirmed this conviction
to me today. War is coming and only the naïve don’t believe it or hope for the
best. He said the Russian mission is to capture Mariupol, a city of regional significance in southeastern
Ukraine, situated on the north coast of the Sea of Azov at the mouth of the
Kalmius river, in the Pryazovia region. It is the 10th-largest city in Ukraine,
and the second largest in the Donetsk Oblast with a population of 431,859.
The reason for this strategic move is clear: establish a water pipeline to
Crimea because Kyiv rightly turned off the spigot after Moscow invaded and
temporarily occupied it and then it would control the Azov shoreline as well as
the eastern half of the Black sea. Not insignificant bodies of water.
This does not bode well for a truly happy, merry
and joyous Christmas in Ukraine.
