Ukraine's Unbreakable Resilience
Nearly four years after Moscow anticipated conquering its neighbour within just four days, Ukraine continues to stand defiant against Russian aggression. This remarkable endurance forms the backdrop to complex peace negotiations that challenge conventional notions of victory and defeat.
The Reality of Compromise
According to security expert Stephen Wertheim, the emerging peace agreement represents neither clear victory nor total defeat, but rather an outcome containing profound elements of both. The proposed settlement, including the Trump administration's recent 28-point plan denounced by many as capitulation, actually offers Kyiv significant strategic advantages.
Ukraine would face no meaningful military restrictions during peacetime, with the only requirement being a cap of 600,000 personnel - a figure that likely exceeds what Ukraine would maintain anyway. More importantly, the nation would receive substantial security guarantees from the United States and Europe, described as the strongest in history despite falling short of full NATO membership.
When Vladimir Putin launched his invasion intending to break Ukraine's Western alignment, he achieved precisely the opposite outcome. Once fighting ceases, Ukraine will emerge militarily stronger, more hostile toward Russia, and better protected than ever before.
America's Historical Struggle With Compromise
Wertheim identifies a troubling pattern in American foreign policy where the pursuit of perfect outcomes undermines achievable gains. The United States has repeatedly demonstrated difficulty both in accepting losses and recognising victories.
In Vietnam, Richard Nixon pursued 'peace with honour' for four additional years after taking office, devastating Cambodia and Laos merely to delay an inevitable defeat. Similarly, in Afghanistan, Barack Obama recognised the Taliban couldn't be militarily defeated yet made minimal attempts to negotiate a power-sharing arrangement, leading to another decade of gradual retreat.
Conversely, after successfully ejecting Iraqi forces from Kuwait in 1991, the United States failed to 'take the win'. Instead of consolidating their achievement, American leaders pursued regime change in Baghdad, ultimately squandering their original victory in pursuit of total triumph.
Russia has suffered approximately 600,000 casualties - roughly ten times Soviet losses during the entire Afghanistan conflict - for what amount to modest territorial gains. Meanwhile, Ukraine has demonstrated its capacity to impose severe costs on its aggressor, fundamentally altering regional security calculations.
The challenge now lies in recognising that while total security remains unavailable to Ukraine or any nation, the country has achieved a defensive victory that positions it for long-term survival and eventual recovery. The alternative - indefinite warfare - risks leaving Ukraine smaller, weaker, and more devastated than any negotiated settlement would.
