Throughout his long political career, the Russian president has been accused of countless atrocities. The former KGB chief Vladimir Putin is a war criminal and should be treated as such, former US President Joe Biden was quoted as saying in February , 2022 . Russia was kicked out of the UN Human Rights Council as members voted 93-24 in favor during the United Nations General Assembly. Biden said the vote marks a meaningful step by the international community, further demonstrating how Putin has made Russia an “international pariah.”
By : YaLibnan Editorial Board
It’s 2025—not 1945. Yet Russian President Vladimir Putin still clings to a bygone era of perceived Soviet glory while presiding over one of the most disastrous military campaigns in modern history. His invasion of Ukraine has not only failed to achieve its objectives but has left Russia humiliated, isolated, and increasingly dependent on pariah states and foreign mercenaries.
Russia’s human cost has been staggering. Independent estimates suggest that well over 300,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded in Ukraine. Tens of thousands of families across Russia are burying young men who died for a war they never chose. Morale among troops is at a breaking point, and forced conscriptions have triggered protests and mass emigration.
To sustain this faltering campaign, Putin is now leaning on foreign fighters and military support from regimes with little regard for international norms. North Korean artillery shells are arriving at the front lines. Chinese drones are quietly reshaping battlefield tactics. Fighters from Syria, and reports of assistance from Vietnam, have further exposed the Kremlin’s desperation. What kind of great power needs mercenaries from four continents to fight its neighbor?
Putin’s latest move—a unilateral three-day ceasefire to mark the anniversary of the Soviet victory in World War II—is a hollow gesture, meant more for optics than peace. Ukrainian officials have rightfully dismissed it, calling instead for a serious and lasting truce based on the plan proposed by the United States and supported by President Donald Trump.
President Trump has made it clear: he wants a permanent ceasefire and a roadmap toward a peaceful resolution. “President Trump has been very clear he wants a permanent ceasefire and to bring this conflict to a peaceful resolution,” said U.S. National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes on Monday. And yet, Putin resists.
Why? Because acknowledging the Trump plan would mean admitting what the world already knows—his war has failed. Russia, once seen as a formidable global power, now begs for ammunition and manpower from Tehran, Pyongyang, and beyond. This is not a strength; it is a strategic and moral collapse.
Putin’s symbolic ceasefire to celebrate a war from 80 years ago does nothing to stop the bloodshed today. If he truly wants to honor the spirit of peace and victory, he should take a bold step toward the future, not retreat into the past. The path forward is clear: adopt the Trump ceasefire plan and end this war with dignity.
Russia’s future—and its place in the world—depends on it.