With three major Ukraine-focused summits last week — in Germany, Italy and Switzerland — I thought I would ask a few people who know what they are talking about whether it is time to wind down support for the war and encourage Kyiv to strike the best deal with Russia it can.
The conversations did not go quite as expected. "Forget about Ukraine,” said Harvard University professor Serhii Plokhy, one of two prominent historians sought out for a wider perspective. "It’s not about Ukraine, it’s about you, it’s about us.” We need to remember that this is the biggest war in Europe, and by some measures the world, since 1945. Size matters, because very large wars are breaking points whose outcomes define how nations will live for generations. This one is no different.
And judging by the maximalist demands Russian President Vladimir Putin made on Friday for even a temporary cease-fire and the start of peace talks — including Ukraine’s withdrawal from swathes of territory and major cities Russia has so far failed to capture — the conflict will continue for some time yet.