Putin's War: Why Peace Talks Aren't Working

Estonia's president, Alar Karis, recently shared some interesting insights about the Russia-Ukraine war and the challenges of finding peace. He mentioned a conversation he had with former U. S. President Donald Trump earlier this year. Trump had said they were close to ending the war, but as of October, that wasn't the case. Karis pointed out that negotiating peace is more complicated than Trump initially thought. At first, Trump was tough on Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, and seemed friendly with Russia's president, Vladimir Putin. But lately, Trump has changed his tune, especially as Putin keeps attacking Ukraine and won't budge in talks. Karis explained that Trump's frustration with Putin's empty promises led to some action. The U. S. recently put sanctions on two big Russian oil companies, which is a big deal because it's the first time Trump's administration has done this since he got back into office. These sanctions are meant to hurt Russia's economy and make it harder for them to fund the war. Estonia knows a thing or two about dealing with Russia. The small country was once part of the Soviet Union and still shares a border with Russia. Just last month, Russian fighter jets entered Estonian airspace, which is part of a bigger pattern of Russian incursions into NATO countries. Estonia has faced over 80 of these incidents in the past 20 years, and Karis believes they've been testing NATO's response. NATO has been quick to react, scrambling jets to escort Russian planes out or take down drones. Karis thinks this sends a clear message: don't mess with them. But Trump's support for NATO hasn't always been strong. He's complained about U. S. spending on the alliance and pushed European countries to do more for their own defense. Estonia is stepping up its defense game, aiming to spend 5. 4% of its GDP on defense next year. The country is investing in drones and AI, thanks to its advanced digital economy. But Karis is realistic about Estonia's size and capabilities. He knows they need allies like NATO to help keep them safe. The big question is how much NATO can rely on U. S. support, especially as the U. S. is pulling some troops out of Europe. Karis warned that European countries should prepare for this, but he also believes that U. S. forces are still an important deterrent to Russia. He doesn't want Europe to create a separate defense system when NATO already exists. As for Estonia, Karis doesn't think the country can handle security threats alone. He reminded everyone that even with a strong army, small countries need friends to stay safe. This is a lesson from history, and it's one that Estonia takes seriously.