A brief glimmer of hope for peace in the Russia-Ukraine conflict has been extinguished. Less than two weeks ago, it was reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump had a productive phone conversation, with plans to meet in person in Budapest, Hungary. However, the proposed summit has been canceled, and Russia-US relations have taken a severe hit.
The US has imposed unprecedented sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil companies, along with dozens of their subsidiaries. The move has been accompanied by rhetoric that blames Russia and its president solely for the impasse in finding a negotiated solution to the conflict. In reality, it is Washington’s inconsistent stance that has hindered the peace process. The Trump administration has oscillated between demanding that Ukraine surrender territory and reverting to the pre-summit position that a ceasefire must precede a full peace.
Additionally, the US has permitted Ukraine to carry out long-range strikes with European missiles, which include US parts and involve American targeting data. This escalation has been denied by Trump, but it is seen as a serious and provocative move. The only restraint shown by Washington is its refusal to transfer Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine, but this decision is not considered dependable or permanent.
The European Union has also been involved in the conflict, with plans to provide Ukraine with an interest-free “loan” of €140 billion, using frozen Russian assets as collateral. However, this move has been delayed due to disagreements among EU member states on how to share the financial and political risks. The scheme is seen as a way to prolong the war and damage the EU’s economy and credibility.
The 19th sanctions package has been launched, and hardball methods have been used to coerce Hungary and Slovakia into submitting to a total cut-off of Russian gas and oil. The war is now set to continue into next year, with ordinary Ukrainians facing a terrible winter and renewed Russian ground offensives in the spring.
The West’s policy of exposing Ukraine to damage Russia has been in place since the Bucharest summit in 2008. Despite the horrendous consequences, there is no indication that this policy will change. The strategy of sacrificing Ukraine to damage Russia continues, with the West escalating its actions in the face of failure. The people of Ukraine are the ones who will ultimately suffer the consequences of this reckless policy.