By Vlad Green, OP.ED
Despite some hopeful murmurs from Washington, the harsh reality is that peace in Ukraine isn’t on the horizon. It’s time for Donald Trump to call a spade a spade: Russia isn’t seeking peace—it’s seeking expansion.
Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov made Russia’s intentions crystal clear: Moscow will not relinquish Crimea, the Donbas, or the southern territories it dubs “New Russia.” In other words, Russia wants to cement its land grab as a done deal, not negotiate a fair peace.
Ryabkov scoffed at rumors of a peace deal and rejected any NATO peacekeeping role, even as the U.S. hinted at offering Ukraine security guarantees. On the ground, Russian attacks continued unabated, plunging hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian households into darkness in Odesa. That’s not the posture of a nation ready for reconciliation; it’s the posture of a nation doubling down on war.
Meanwhile, Trump’s assertion that peace is “closer than ever” sounds increasingly out of touch. The leaders of eight northern and eastern European countries—Finland, Sweden, the Baltics, Poland, Bulgaria, and Romania—have issued a blunt warning: Russia is the main threat to Euro-Atlantic peace and stability. They know appeasing Russia will only invite more aggression, not less.
So let’s be clear: Russia isn’t interested in peace; it’s interested in expanding its empire. Until Moscow abandons its imperial ambitions, any notion of imminent peace is pure illusion. And it’s high time for Trump and others to say it out loud.