War is always brutal but this has been especially savage. The Russian attacks have not been limited to targeting military assets. They have relentlessly bombed hospitals, schools, churches, power stations and other civilian targets. Their goal seems to be to break the spirit of the Ukrainian people.
Despite the ongoing hardships, the people of Ukraine aren’t ready to give their nation to Russia. They simply want a just and lasting peace, a peace that will give them a chance to reunite with loved ones and rebuild their nation.
This anniversary should be our wake-up call to urgently work for a peaceful solution to this horrible war. A few keys I see to negotiating a just peace:
- A buffer zone between Ukraine and Russia will help keep the peace. We should use an international peacekeeping force from the UN or NATO for a year or two as a way to enforce the terms of the agreement.
- Ukraine must be a full partner and participant in every step of the peace talks.
- The question of NATO membership should be handled through established channels. NATO has developed a rigorous process with strict requirements for those who want to join. Sweden and Finland completed the process recently and it’s unfair to deny Ukraine the opportunity to apply should they choose.
- Most importantly, we must negotiate with Russian leader Vladimir Putin from a position of strength. In words and actions, he has demonstrated a willingness to achieve his goals through violence and intimidation. He has made it clear that he considers nations that became independent with the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991 as part of “historical Russia” and that puts them at risk. If the US and our allies give in to Putin now, he will recognize that as a sign of weakness, a lack of resolve that will encourage further military action from Russia. In the 1930s, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain tried appeasement and the result was the most devastating war the world has ever seen. Appeasement doesn’t work with ruthless dictators.
While Putin may dream of conquest, the people of Ukraine simply want to return to a life without the daily threat of violence. They want to raise their family, work on the farms, go to church and live as they choose. In the last year, I have been working with leaders in Ukraine on creating a National Day of Prayer to give strength during this difficult time. I have visited there twice this year and met with many members of the parliament, along with various faith leaders. I’m pleased to announce that their Parliament passed the National Day of Prayer last week, joining the US as the only nations with a day set aside for national prayer. Their bill is based on the one I wrote as a member of Congress and signed by President Reagan in 1988. As a result of the bill, America’s National Day of Prayer on the first Thursday in May is celebrated at 350,000 sites and is supported by 72,000 volunteers. I hope Ukraine’s National Day of Prayer meets with similar success, bringing much-needed grace and strength to navigate a successful peace and rebuilding process.
This war has defined Ukraine for the last three years. The peace we negotiate will define the nation for decades to come. Let it be a just, sustainable and healing peace. The people of Ukraine deserve no less.
Tony Hall is a former member of Congress from Dayton and UN Ambassador. He is the founder of the Hall Hunger Initiative, a Miami Valley food justice organization at hallhungerinitiative.org.
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