Leaked ‘wish list’ for peace in war hardly America First 

Contents of the article

Last week, a 28-point “peace plan” for the Russian-Ukrainian war emerged. This was apparently fleshed out over cocktails in Miami by President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and Vitkoff's Russian counterpart Kirill Dmitriev.

Contents of the article

Many critics immediately ridiculed it, calling it a “Russian bucket list.”

Contents of the article

Contents of the article

That was before we discovered that the leaked version – likely written by Dmitriev – was literally poorly translated from the Russian. In a closed meeting with senators, Secretary of State Marco Rubio even called it “a wish list for the Russians” and “not the administration’s plan.” On his way to Geneva for peace talks, Rubio went out of his way to deny he ever said it.

But now all this, apparently, is no longer relevant. What appears to have happened amidst all this chaos is that Rubio has taken the Ukraine portfolio away from Vitkov. By Tuesday, Rubio said he had a whole new plan anyway.

This is good news because the original plan was not in America's best interest.

Contents of the article

Contents of the article

Many believe that aid to Ukraine is not “America First”

I believe American foreign policy should put America first. But I don't support the “America First” foreign policy because that label is applied to everything Trump wants, whether it's for his personal interests or the best interests of the country.

People who support the slogan “America First” generally believe that helping Ukraine is not in America's interests. I think they are wrong.

Because Russian President Vladimir Putin's Russia is America's enemy.

It's not as controversial as you might think if you only get foreign policy analysis from MAGA social media influencers. Russia is entering into an alliance with our adversaries in China, America and the Middle East. This policy is deeply rooted in Russian history and President Putin's nostalgia for Russian “greatness.” But if this matters, then there is also a doctrine behind it – the Primakov Doctrine, according to which Russia must do everything possible to contain and contain America and NATO.

Contents of the article

RECOMMENDED VIDEO

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Play video

Russia has been delving into the internal affairs of the United States and its allies for almost a century. In recent years, he has allegedly interfered with power grids, elections and cyber systems. It has funded psychological campaigns, using both useful idiot influencers and volunteer volunteers, to inject racism, anti-Semitism and sinister conspiracy theories into domestic politics here and abroad.

“The Russian Federation poses the most significant and direct threat to the security of allies and to the peace and stability of the Euro-Atlantic region,” NATO said.

Russians are the bad guys

If you are more idealistic, Russia is also a murderous authoritarian regime that oppresses its own people and commits heinous war crimes against its neighbors.

Contents of the article

America shouldn't help Russia

That is why there is a compelling moral argument for helping Ukraine resist a lawless and brutal invasion that has claimed perhaps a million lives and led to the kidnapping of tens of thousands of Ukrainian children for brainwashing. Our national honor is also at stake, given that America called on Ukraine to give up its nuclear weapons in exchange for “security guarantees” in the 1994 Budapest Memorandum. From a legal perspective, representations are not “warranties,” but they are not anything.

Leave morality and national honor aside. A cool-headed America First strategist might argue that massacring Ukrainian soldiers—and civilians—is in our best interest if it comes at the expense of Russia's military strength, economy, and global prestige.

Contents of the article

No, we should not send American troops to fight Russia. This is a figurehead put forward by opponents of aid to Ukraine in general.

But weapons? Intelligence? Why not? Many NATO weapons were created to fight Russia. If Ukraine can use them for this purpose, it is the best of both worlds. This does not take into account that we can – and do – sell most of these weapons either to Ukraine or to our European allies, who then transfer them.

And it works. Russia had no way to save its puppet regime in Syria. It also did not – and could not – come to the aid of Iran, Hamas or Hezbollah. The Russian economy is in chaos, with nearly double-digit inflation despite insanely high interest rates.

And yet, this initial “peace agreement” would have saved Russia by ceding territory, including all of Donbass, that it had failed to conquer militarily. This will provide Russia with sanctions relief, invite it back to the G8, and hinder Ukraine militarily and politically. It describes America as a “mediator” between Russia and NATO, even though NATO is an alliance created and led by America. For Russia, there is no more important strategic goal than separating America from its NATO allies. All this in exchange for the “expectation” that Russia will not invade Ukraine in the future.

Let's hope Rubio comes up with something that is more in America's interests than Russia's.

Contents of the article