Now is the right time to pursue peace in Ukraine through diplomacy
By L. Michael Hager, The Provincetown Independent
Set aside for a moment your worries about inflation, Covid variants, mass shootings, climate change, and Supreme Court decisions, and consider instead the ongoing war in Ukraine. Now in its sixth month, the war is killing hundreds of Ukrainians and Russians every day. Russian artillery and bombs strike Ukrainian soldiers on the front and civilians in their apartments, while missiles level scores of towns and villages in the Donbas region and beyond. From Ukraine, long-range missiles supplied by the U.S. reach Russian targets.

The risk of an expanded war that could easily slip into a battle of nuclear weapons must not be discounted. Vladimir Putin has made it clear that he is ready to use chemical weapons or tactical nukes if needed to avoid a battlefield defeat.
Thanks to the leadership of President Volodymyr Zelensky, the valor of Ukrainian forces, and timely arms aid from the U.S. and its NATO allies, the Ukrainians were able to repel the Russians’ February-March advance on Kyiv. President Biden led a NATO effort to contain the Russians through weapons transfers and economic sanctions.
Now the war has shifted to the Donbas, expanding a conflict that Russian separatists began in 2014. Despite the Ukrainians’ military successes, the New York Times reported on Aug. 21, “Russia continues to retain military superiority” without giving up any territory. Russian forces are slowly but steadily gaining ground in the Donbas. Instead of the logistical constraints they faced in their botched blitz on Kyiv, the nearby Russian border makes a steady flow of supplies and manpower possible. It appears that even successful counterattacks in some places are unlikely to drive the Russian forces out of Ukraine.
Recent Posts
Feeding The Warfare State
July 1, 2025
Take Action Now We Lose, the Weapons Makers WinBy William D. Hartung, Tom Dispatch The Senate is on the verge of passing the distinctly misnamed…
The Rage Of Billionaires And The Frenzy To Stop Zohran Mamdani From Becoming New York’s Mayor
June 30, 2025
Take Action Now The constellation of forces now regrouping with a vengeance includes titans of Wall Street, enormous real estate interests,…
It’s Not Just The Cities. Extreme Heat Is A Growing Threat To Rural America.
June 28, 2025
Take Action Now The urban heat island sits in a rural heat ocean.By Umair Irfan, Vox Summer has officially begun with a blast of scorching…
Mamdani’s Massive Victory Should Show Democrats Where The Party’s Future Lies
June 27, 2025
Take Action Now NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani has thrown the drowning Democratic Party a life vest. Will its leaders use it?By Sam…