Anne Applebaum

And so Europeans are gearing up to defend themselves. Is it what people wanted? It is not. You know, is it popular in every country? It is not. Do Europeans want to pay for armies? No, they don't. Nobody wants to pay for an army. As I said, they want to pay for health care and parks.

But this is coming from a really profound shift in Russia that's taking place over the last 20 years and unprecedented levels of Russian aggression.

But this is coming from a really profound shift in Russia that's taking place over the last 20 years and unprecedented levels of Russian aggression.

But this is coming from a really profound shift in Russia that's taking place over the last 20 years and unprecedented levels of Russian aggression.

So there isn't a peace plan in Ukraine.

So there isn't a peace plan in Ukraine.

So there isn't a peace plan in Ukraine.

There is no peace plan. So this is one of this very weird phenomenon, which might even be described as experts talking to themselves. This war will be over when the Russians no longer believe they can win. In other words, the war will end when the Russians can't fight anymore or don't want to fight anymore.

There is no peace plan. So this is one of this very weird phenomenon, which might even be described as experts talking to themselves. This war will be over when the Russians no longer believe they can win. In other words, the war will end when the Russians can't fight anymore or don't want to fight anymore.

There is no peace plan. So this is one of this very weird phenomenon, which might even be described as experts talking to themselves. This war will be over when the Russians no longer believe they can win. In other words, the war will end when the Russians can't fight anymore or don't want to fight anymore.

And so far at this moment, as we're speaking, you know, in February 2025, I don't see any evidence that the Russians want to stop fighting. Everybody who says there's a peace plan and that includes there was a fake one that was going around recently. I mean, there have been several. That's probably the one I saw. Everyone who thinks there's a peace plan, they're speaking to other people.

And so far at this moment, as we're speaking, you know, in February 2025, I don't see any evidence that the Russians want to stop fighting. Everybody who says there's a peace plan and that includes there was a fake one that was going around recently. I mean, there have been several. That's probably the one I saw. Everyone who thinks there's a peace plan, they're speaking to other people.

And so far at this moment, as we're speaking, you know, in February 2025, I don't see any evidence that the Russians want to stop fighting. Everybody who says there's a peace plan and that includes there was a fake one that was going around recently. I mean, there have been several. That's probably the one I saw. Everyone who thinks there's a peace plan, they're speaking to other people.

They're not speaking to Putin himself. Maybe this could change, you know, in the coming days and weeks. But right now, I haven't seen evidence that Putin has changed his goal. So Putin's goal is to destroy all of Ukraine, to put a pro-Russian government in Kiev and to remove Ukrainian sovereignty. That's why he's fighting the war. That is his goal.

They're not speaking to Putin himself. Maybe this could change, you know, in the coming days and weeks. But right now, I haven't seen evidence that Putin has changed his goal. So Putin's goal is to destroy all of Ukraine, to put a pro-Russian government in Kiev and to remove Ukrainian sovereignty. That's why he's fighting the war. That is his goal.

They're not speaking to Putin himself. Maybe this could change, you know, in the coming days and weeks. But right now, I haven't seen evidence that Putin has changed his goal. So Putin's goal is to destroy all of Ukraine, to put a pro-Russian government in Kiev and to remove Ukrainian sovereignty. That's why he's fighting the war. That is his goal.

He has not verbally or in any other way given up that goal. So the issue with creating a ceasefire is not persuading Ukraine to have a ceasefire. The Ukrainians would have a ceasefire and we could put pressure on them to have a ceasefire. But to have a ceasefire, you need two countries. Both sides have to stop fighting. And as of right this second, I don't see that Russia's ready to stop fighting.

He has not verbally or in any other way given up that goal. So the issue with creating a ceasefire is not persuading Ukraine to have a ceasefire. The Ukrainians would have a ceasefire and we could put pressure on them to have a ceasefire. But to have a ceasefire, you need two countries. Both sides have to stop fighting. And as of right this second, I don't see that Russia's ready to stop fighting.

He has not verbally or in any other way given up that goal. So the issue with creating a ceasefire is not persuading Ukraine to have a ceasefire. The Ukrainians would have a ceasefire and we could put pressure on them to have a ceasefire. But to have a ceasefire, you need two countries. Both sides have to stop fighting. And as of right this second, I don't see that Russia's ready to stop fighting.

So I am a little mystified by what everybody thinks is the plan, because right now there isn't one.