Dear friend, it’s not the first occasion on which some Western observers appear eager to pen Ukraine’s obituary while advocating for a negotiated solution that would essentially benefit Putin for his savage, unbidden assault on his autonomous, democratic counterpart (“Ukraine’s potential untidy peace deal may be optimal”, Opinion & Analysis, March 2nd). An innocent presumption often arises that Vladimir Putin is willing to enter negotiations, yet all his declarations suggest he only has designs to enforce conditions, devoid of any compromises. Any so-called “peace” resulting from this would likely be nothing more than temporary, as Russia regroups under the full backing of its crew of rogue administrations. Falling short in halting Putin’s movement in Ukraine would leave a diminished Ukraine, and other EU and NATO members in Eastern Europe, vulnerable to recurrent violent redrawing of global borders, intended to reinstate Russia’s authority reminiscent of the Soviet period. Yours faithfully,
RAY McCARTHY,
Glasnevin,
Dublin 9.