On the US "peace deal" for Ukrain

My friend Matti Karvinen sent me his summary of the weekend trip of real estate developers/-investors to the Kremlin to meet with Putler. Since I largely agree with him, I am publishing it in three languages: Finnish, German and English. I admit to have included a few of my own views that arose in the stream of consciousness.

The negotiation trip of Wittkof and Kushner to Moscow has ended. And as expected, no results.

The fact is that Russia does not want peace or a ceasefire, but the complete subjugation of Ukraine. Now Donald Trump announces that he will completely stop financial aid to Ukraine. In other words, he is putting pressure on the victim of war and supporting the aggressor. The Russian attack four years ago is a completely indisputable matter, and so is Russia's goal to change borders through war, contrary to what it approved in the OSCE.

I see it this way, and so do all my family and acquaintances:

 In return for Ukraine giving up its nuclear weapons in 1994, it has or at least had security guarantees from the US, Britain and Russia. What has happened in Ukraine in 2014 and since is unequivocally a betrayal by the security guarantees given by Russia, the US and the UK. The US would have had the resources to stop Russia, but Presidents Obama, Biden and Trump betrayed Ukraine. And England has not fulfilled its commitment either.

 The EU's passivity and the under-measured aid to Ukraine in relation to its needs are irresponsible, short-sighted and morally shameful. In total, the support of the economically huge EU member states to Ukraine has been 0.1% of GDP! In response to Trump's intimidation to abandon NATO, they were ready in an instant to increase NATO's defense spending to 5% of GDP. Some of it could justifiably be invested in assisting Ukraine.

Despite the shortcomings of its own democracy, Ukraine is fighting against totalitarianism and for European democracy, freedom and equality. If its subjugation can be prevented, Ukraine can and will be able to begin developing into a Western European democracy.

 The goals of Russia’s staatsraison and military strategy have been openly presented by Putler, several leading Russian politicians and the press. It is quite clear that the goal is to continue the conquests in the coming years and use them to restore the geopolitical dominance of the Soviet era. The time horizon most often presented by researchers is five years.

 The EU’s bickering, cowardice and submission will mean the disintegration of the EU and NATO in the future. Russia and the USA are acting as disintegrators. Disintegrating NGOs, parties and entire states have already been created within the EU with Russian money and US support. In this disintegration and the future division agreed upon by Russia and the USA, Finland and, for example, Germany would apparently end up on different sides in the same way as in the Molotov-Rippentrop Pact signed by the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany in 1939.

 To get through this war without losing and surrendering to Russia, Ukraine needs money, weapons, ammunition, intelligence assistance and soldiers. The EU has enough of all of these or can get them with money. The money can be obtained either from the €200-300 billion of Russian money that is frozen in Belgium or by taking out a joint loan for the EU. The importance of money is best illustrated by the fact that €100 billion would be enough to recruit 100,000 mercenaries for years.

If this aid to Ukraine is decided, it will guarantee peace for Europe for decades. At the same time, the EU will also be saved, and it will find its purpose, self-respect and soul again.

 At least we Finns are not ready to sell our liberal democracy based on equality, the rule of law and broad civil liberties, like Trump's USA, for some Yankee construction projects and other deals in Russia. The memories of the Winter and Continuation Wars and the dark period of Finlandization are still vivid in our minds.