Key Takeaway: The West is drifting toward empowering Vladimir Putin as he continues the illegal Russian military intervention in Ukraine. Putin’s priority in the Dec. 9 Normandy Four talks with Ukraine, France, and Germany is not peace in Ukraine. Putin is positioning Russia to regain control of Ukraine’s decision-making, legitimize a revanchist foreign policy, and remove international constraints on his ambitions. Putin seeks to secure a renewed, exploitative gas deal with Ukraine and the legitimization of Russia’s proxies from the upcoming meeting. The West must ensure that Russia does not pressure Ukraine into compromising its sovereignty by conceding on either Donbas, where Russia is waging war, or Ukrainian energy independence. Putin’s success in Ukraine would not only put the future of Europe at risk – it would also empower Putin to accelerate his global campaigns.
Russia's War Against Ukraine
OP-ED
Nataliya Bugayova, George Barros: The perils of talks on Russia’s war in Ukraine
Observers of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) monitor the withdrawal of the Ukrainian forces near Bohdanivka village, in the Kyiv-controlled territory, in the Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine, on Nov. 9, 2019.
