“War is a continuation of politics by other means.” So said the German military strategist Carl von Clausewitz. Before answering the question, “can Ukraine win its war against Russia?” we must define what “winning” or “victory” would look like.

European policy expert Peter Doran, who insists the war can be won with additional U.S. funding, would define a win by “the Russian military ceasing to kill Ukrainians, departing Ukrainian territory, and not threatening the existence of the country in the future.”

Retired Col. Joe Buccino points out that after two years of fighting, the war is now at a standstill and “the best Ukraine can do now is to fight Russia to a negotiated settlement.”

President Joe Biden, who insists the war is in the U.S. national interest, has yet to tell the American public what a “victory” in this war would look like. Perhaps he should do that before asking for more from Americans already struggling with rising living costs.

Mark Saxon

Kahului

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