Editorial Board
A Ukraine Cease-Fire Might Do More Harm Than Good
As things stand, a truce would embolden Putin, weaken Ukraine and lead to further hostilities. The West needs a better plan.
Don’t fall for it.
Photographer: Kristina Kormilitsyna/AFP
The details of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s “victory plan” haven’t been made public. But Zelenskiy has been open about the premise: Only a strong Ukraine can force Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table.
He’s right to an extent. So long as Putin believes he can outlast Western support for Ukraine, his war of attrition will continue. The question is how to change his calculation.