Putin dreams the same dream as Stalin

In Abu Dhabi this week, Russians and Ukrainians negotiated a ceasefire under the direction of the Americans. If you follow the Ukrainians, Moscow has revealed how it imagines Europe's order to be in the future. NATO should fundamentally refrain from any eastward expansion of its alliance. More than that: it should return to its 1997 alliance size. If this demand were to be granted, the NATO allies would have to give up their aid to the Central and Eastern European members.

The Kremlin is also calling for the withdrawal of American nuclear weapons from Europe. In this case, the Europeans would be almost defenseless against Russian nuclear missiles and would no longer be able to deliver an effective nuclear second strike. The strategy of mutual deterrence would be canceled in favor of the Russians. Moscow could put political pressure on Europe at any time.

Ultimately, Russian President Vladimir Putin is concerned with finally fulfilling the Soviet-Russian dream that Stalin has dreamed since the end of the Second World War: the displacement of the Americans from the European continent. That is why Russia is now not only demanding the withdrawal of American nuclear missiles, but also the withdrawal of its strategic bomber and naval forces.

What is remarkable about those demands is that they are exactly the same ones that Moscow published on December 17, 2021 - before the invasion of Ukraine! In other words: Moscow is sticking to its maximum demands. There is no peace with such a state. A peace agreement under these conditions would be tantamount to Europe capitulating.