Hurricane or Refusal to Capitulate?

 

If there are people out there charged with the political isolation of Vladimir Putin, they might as well return the money. Yesterday, in the heart of Moscow, the Council of Heads of State of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) gathered, with none other than Putin himself presiding. Nine CIS leaders stood by his side in the Kremlin, knowing full well that he is actively committing genocide against the Ukrainian people and is a wanted man by the International Criminal Court. Yet, there they were, posing for a joint photo as if this was just another day in politics. What explains this? Is it their fear of Putin or a reflection of shared values?

And there's more to come. Just a few weeks away, on October 22-24, 2024, the BRICS Summit will take place in Kazan, with Putin as the proud host. Over 30 countries have already confirmed their participation. Among them, perhaps the most surprising guest is the Taliban, who have applied to join the summit. If this is Putin’s so-called political isolation, one has to wonder—what does political prosperity look like for him? Perhaps the Nobel Peace Prize?

Meanwhile, let's turn our attention to the Western democratic camp. In the past two weeks, media channels have been abuzz with talks of a possible ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. The proposals on the table? Almost all of them demand concessions from Ukraine alone. The most disturbing of these was the notion of "NATO in exchange for territories," a thinly veiled call for Ukraine to hand over its land to Russia now, while a concrete timeline for NATO membership remains conveniently elusive.

On the other side, Russian media has been nervously speculating about the outcomes of the next Rammstein meeting, fearing harsher consequences from the West. Anxiety among Russians spiked when it was announced that Biden was planning to personally attend the meeting. But then came the hurricane. Due to the storm, Biden’s trip was canceled, followed closely by Blinken's. What were the real reasons for these last-minute cancellations? Could it be that Zelenskyy’s steadfast refusal to capitulate—his refusal to surrender Ukraine’s territories—upended plans? After all, a ceasefire would, in essence, be a quiet capitulation, a soft surrender disguised as peace.

One can only hope Biden finds his way back to Europe soon. Without strong American leadership, Western diplomacy could find itself overshadowed by a Kremlin that is anything but isolated.

Glory to Ukraine!