Neil Patel: How to End the Ukraine War

The war in Ukraine is a tragic experience for Ukrainians. It is in America’s best interest to stop other countries from advancing across their borders. Stability is important in the global community.

Other things are important, too.

The long-term security and well-being of the American people is the most important aspect of American foreign policy. It’s obvious but it doesn’t seem to be the driving force of American policy today. America’s long-term security requires that young Americans are not put at risk by a conflict with Russia. It seems strange that such important questions aren’t being asked and answered. How will war end in a way that does not put young American lives at risk? As the father to an 18-year old, I am keenly interested. Others are also interested.

The war has been ongoing for over a year. The Ukrainians have fought harder and survived longer than any experts could have predicted. Russia has suffered some serious losses. America, a country that has increasingly worrying national finances, has provided massive support to the cause. What is the end goal? Anyone who is interested in peace and security in the long-term and making sure that the situation does not lead to World War III will find it important to figure out a feasible and acceptable way to end the shooting. This is a topic that has been largely ignored in national debates. Simply asking the question will lead to accusations of support for Putin. To care about the ultimate horror of bringing Russia and China closer together, you don’t need to be a Putin sympathizer. That’s exactly what the strategy seems to be doing.

The West has been largely united against President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of a border state. The response was dramatic. The NATO countries of Europe have increased their military budgets. They provide weapons and other aid to Ukraine. Massive amounts of U.S. support have been provided, naturally. Did you remember when experts declared that Donald Trump’s proposed border wall was unlikely to be a viable option as America couldn’t afford it. The cost of the entire project was between $20 and $25 billion. Already, the U.S. has sent $100 billion to Ukraine and the clock is ticking. Beyond the financial impact, the weapon systems sent to Ukraine have become more deadly. All of this has helped Ukraine to maintain their line and inflict apparently huge losses on Russian troops. But, the U.S. is at greater risk of being involved in the conflict as it grows in severity and the number of American weapons systems that are deadly increases. This is a fact.

It is a good thing to increase NATO defense spending. The U.S. has subsidized NATO for too long and cannot keep doing so forever. Other results have not been good. Russia has already announced it is withdrawing from its nuclear reduction agreement with the U.S. Even more worrying, Russia and China have become closer together due to the American and European responses to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Russian trade with China has been increasing rapidly due to Western sanctions. Russia and China agreed to intensify military cooperation. From an American perspective, it’s hard to imagine a worse outcome.

The big question is: Where does it all end?

Washington and most of the West assume that Russia must fall. This is difficult to imagine happening in real life. Everyone seems to agree with the statement that Putin is a madman and an autocrat. Is it possible for Putin to simply admit defeat and leave Ukraine? What chance would Putin have of staying in power? While it may seem like a positive thing to have Putin removed from power, it would be foolish to think he would do this voluntarily. And even if he did, would the chaos left in his wake in a country with the world’s biggest nuclear stockpile — be even worse from an American perspective? These are simple questions, but they are crucial and not often discussed.

If Putin was as autocratic, unstable as we’re told, would he use nuclear weapons against a NATO ally if he is facing defeat? Can anyone confirm that this is an option for Putin? It’s a large bet, but it sure looks like America is making a bet. America already stated that if a desperate Putin used nuclear weapons, it would be a disaster. “catastrophic consequences.” This is a horrible scenario that should be avoided.

A negotiated settlement seems to be the best way to end this war, taking into account all risks. The Rand Corporation, the world’s leading defense policy think tank, recently reached this conclusion in a recent report. The Rand authors concluded the U.S. can’t support the war on Ukraine in the long-term, while simultaneously pressing for other priorities such as Taiwanese protection from China. However, the U.S. has not yet pushed for any kind of settlement. To the contrary, President Joe Biden stated that U.S. support will be maintained for as long necessary and that Ukraine has to make decisions about negotiations.

The current policy, which can be described in the simplest terms possible, is basically “here’s a blank check” available forever. This doesn’t seem like an adult strategy. It’s fanciful. It’s unrealistic considering America’s financial situation, its priorities, the possibility of war expanding to draw in NATO and the fact that current strategy is drawing China closer to Russia, as well as the risk of a desperate Putin using nukes, it’s past due for a realistic strategy. This strategy must include a push for an end to the war without American blood. To have this view, you don’t necessarily need to sympathize with Putin. It is enough to look out for America’s best interests and protect the lives of Americans above everything else. The United States must press for peace.

Neil Patel is the co-founder of The Daily Caller. This online news site, one America’s fastest-growing, regularly reports on news and distributes it daily to more than 15,000,000 monthly readers. Patel co-founded The Daily Caller News Foundation. This non-profit news organization trains journalists, conducts investigative reporting, and produces fact-checks. The Daily Caller News Foundation grants its content to more than 300 news outlets at no cost, reaching hundreds of millions each month. Visit www.creators.com to learn more about Neil Patel or read cartoons and features by other Creators writers.

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