Anne Applebaum

But at the moment, they're building this weapons producing economy and they're putting all their best technology and their best researchers and engineers and so on are all pushing in that direction. That's what they're doing now. And that means that for Putin to somehow reverse course or stop the war has a lot more consequences than people think.

But at the moment, they're building this weapons producing economy and they're putting all their best technology and their best researchers and engineers and so on are all pushing in that direction. That's what they're doing now. And that means that for Putin to somehow reverse course or stop the war has a lot more consequences than people think.

You know, so what would happen to all that enormous investment? They would just stop it? I mean, I don't think so. You know, what would happen to the hundreds of thousands of armed soldiers who are now in the field? Would Putin just bring them home and then they would go back to regular life? Is that something that's going to be good for him or... healthy for Russia?

You know, so what would happen to all that enormous investment? They would just stop it? I mean, I don't think so. You know, what would happen to the hundreds of thousands of armed soldiers who are now in the field? Would Putin just bring them home and then they would go back to regular life? Is that something that's going to be good for him or... healthy for Russia?

You know, so what would happen to all that enormous investment? They would just stop it? I mean, I don't think so. You know, what would happen to the hundreds of thousands of armed soldiers who are now in the field? Would Putin just bring them home and then they would go back to regular life? Is that something that's going to be good for him or... healthy for Russia?

I mean, I think what Ruta was saying, the NATO Secretary General, was that naivete about the ease with which you could get a deal or negotiate with Russia is unwarranted. I'm really worried because I hear both in Europe and in the US and in Ukraine, actually, a lot of people who do seem to believe that there's, because Trump has said he wants a negotiation, that there will be one.

I mean, I think what Ruta was saying, the NATO Secretary General, was that naivete about the ease with which you could get a deal or negotiate with Russia is unwarranted. I'm really worried because I hear both in Europe and in the US and in Ukraine, actually, a lot of people who do seem to believe that there's, because Trump has said he wants a negotiation, that there will be one.

I mean, I think what Ruta was saying, the NATO Secretary General, was that naivete about the ease with which you could get a deal or negotiate with Russia is unwarranted. I'm really worried because I hear both in Europe and in the US and in Ukraine, actually, a lot of people who do seem to believe that there's, because Trump has said he wants a negotiation, that there will be one.

I mean, I am happy to be proven wrong. There is no one who will be happier to hear that there's a real negotiation happening and that the war would end. It's been a misery for so many of my friends. It's a huge political and economic problem for everybody else in Europe. I really want the war to be over. Ukrainians have made clear that they will negotiate, and they've made that clear in public.

I mean, I am happy to be proven wrong. There is no one who will be happier to hear that there's a real negotiation happening and that the war would end. It's been a misery for so many of my friends. It's a huge political and economic problem for everybody else in Europe. I really want the war to be over. Ukrainians have made clear that they will negotiate, and they've made that clear in public.

I mean, I am happy to be proven wrong. There is no one who will be happier to hear that there's a real negotiation happening and that the war would end. It's been a misery for so many of my friends. It's a huge political and economic problem for everybody else in Europe. I really want the war to be over. Ukrainians have made clear that they will negotiate, and they've made that clear in public.

They've also made it clear in more specific ways in private. They would be happy to do some kind of deal. Of course, they're not going to give up their sovereignty and they're not going to allow the Russians to replace the current government with a pro-Russian government. There is right now, as we're speaking, no indication that the Russians want to negotiate at all.

They've also made it clear in more specific ways in private. They would be happy to do some kind of deal. Of course, they're not going to give up their sovereignty and they're not going to allow the Russians to replace the current government with a pro-Russian government. There is right now, as we're speaking, no indication that the Russians want to negotiate at all.

They've also made it clear in more specific ways in private. They would be happy to do some kind of deal. Of course, they're not going to give up their sovereignty and they're not going to allow the Russians to replace the current government with a pro-Russian government. There is right now, as we're speaking, no indication that the Russians want to negotiate at all.

Again, maybe I'm gonna be proven wrong, but they haven't said they wanted to. Whenever Putin is asked about it, he's repeated his goals for Ukraine, which include the removal of the government and its replacement with someone he approves of.

Again, maybe I'm gonna be proven wrong, but they haven't said they wanted to. Whenever Putin is asked about it, he's repeated his goals for Ukraine, which include the removal of the government and its replacement with someone he approves of.

Again, maybe I'm gonna be proven wrong, but they haven't said they wanted to. Whenever Putin is asked about it, he's repeated his goals for Ukraine, which include the removal of the government and its replacement with someone he approves of.

Sometimes the goal is Russia occupies and incorporates Eastern Ukraine, creates a little fake state in the middle of Ukraine and gives Western Ukraine supposedly, I mean, this is what they say, not what anybody would want, to be divided up by other countries. So it's a recipe for the destruction of Ukraine. That's what Putin has said. He's never offered a vision of an alternative.

Sometimes the goal is Russia occupies and incorporates Eastern Ukraine, creates a little fake state in the middle of Ukraine and gives Western Ukraine supposedly, I mean, this is what they say, not what anybody would want, to be divided up by other countries. So it's a recipe for the destruction of Ukraine. That's what Putin has said. He's never offered a vision of an alternative.

Sometimes the goal is Russia occupies and incorporates Eastern Ukraine, creates a little fake state in the middle of Ukraine and gives Western Ukraine supposedly, I mean, this is what they say, not what anybody would want, to be divided up by other countries. So it's a recipe for the destruction of Ukraine. That's what Putin has said. He's never offered a vision of an alternative.