U.S. foreign policy needs a reality check. Responding to David Barudin ["Biden must act to save Ukraine despite opposition," Letter to the Editor, March 9], the U.S. can best help itself and Ukraine by advising negotiations while Ukraine still retains ample territory to rebuild and coherently redefine itself. Ukraine missed the first peace opportunity at the war’s start when the U.S. sent Boris Johnson to Istanbul to scuttle promising negotiations with Russia to ensure that Ukraine would continue fighting Russia.
Two years later, negotiation can prevent Ukraine losing more land to Russia. Additional weapons and money won’t enable Ukraine to regain territories. It is unsustainable for the U.S. to forever pay Ukraine’s expensive upkeep — its bureaucracy, pensions, health care, defense and its corrupt practices.
Policymakers who say the U.S. “benefits” by allowing Ukrainians to die instead of Americans reveal their morally nefarious intent to simply use Ukraine. Their unrealistic demand that Ukrainians mount a counteroffensive further decimated Ukrainian forces now totaling around 500,000 dead. Ukraine had enough weaponry to carry out their counteroffensive and it failed. Negotiations must take place for the benefit of all.
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Policymakers have wasted billions in Project Ukraine and their assumptions have backfired. Russia has boosted its economy by producing the weapons and artillery it needs while the West is depleted. The war will not produce regime change or isolate Russia. Instead, self-sufficient Russia is becoming a leader in the world’s Global Majority now organizing to de-dollarize — a critical blow to U.S. superpower.
No more Ukraine aid for this failed venture that could take us all down.
Cynthia Munley, Salem