Philosophy Now Forum

We, the United States, are providing weaponry for Ukraine to defend itself from a Russian invasion. It's a tug-of-war between the US and Russia on one level. On another level, there are the Ukrainian people and what they want.

IF the powers that be can stop the war long enough to hold a nationwide fair election in Ukraine on the part of the Ukrainian people (perhaps administrated by the UN and International community), will the losing power of that election agree to withdraw and allow the people of Ukraine to exercise their choice?

In the end, I think it comes down to that. Right now, I suspect Russia is not winning much favor with the people of Ukraine by invading them. So the question becomes, will Russia allow a vote on the part of the Ukrainian people on that matter? And how can a relatively neutral situation be restored for the purpose of the Ukrainian people making a rational choice to be made on their part?

Perhaps, calling a cease-fire and withdrawal from Ukraine on the part of both powers, including Russians leaving the parts that they now occupy would be the first step. The second step would be to allow a period of reparation and rebuilding. It would be up to Ukraine to accept or not accept support FROM BOTH THE US AND RUSSIA, on rebuilding their country. If Russia can win the hearts of the Ukrainian people during that period of rebuilding, then the people of Ukraine MIGHT vote in Russia's favor. (At the very least, if they do not vote to become a part of Russia, then they will perhaps vote to stay away from NATO.)

Would that be a satisfactory solution?

And if so, the next question would be, how can the International community (the UN) bring about that state of affairs?

It's up to the russian people whether or not russia will change. It'll be internally that the russian government is disaffected of its tyranny... not by some external police force that removes him from power and forces russia to restructure its government as a result. I highly doubt he'll ever be arrested or assassinated by another country.

What's gotta happen is the russian citizens gotta get so pissed off at something that they start strikin and protestin and all that shit.

But this Ukraine stuff will end with Ukraine handing over south east Ukraine like crimea back in the day, or Putin stopping his advance after having been worn out by the cost of sustaining it for so long.

In the former, a big thing will be made about Ukraine surrendering it to the russians to end the war and everybody will be like awww and then nato will let Ukraine in and the new borders will be fortified for a while if not indefinitely in case Putin wants some more land and starts pushin again.

In either case russia's relationship to nato and the western world will be terrible until Putin is taken out of power somehow. Gonna be old age most likely so we're in this for the long haul, gentlemen.

Or another way to end the war would be for Ukraine to bomb the Kremlin back to the Stone Age, forcing Putin to surrender.