Throughout its history, the Russian Federation has only initiated reforms and positive changes after suffering severe military defeats. Similarly, in today’s situation, the country can only recover from its imperialist affliction after a major military failure by Putin.
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, representing the country currently holding the EU presidency, said this at a meeting with journalists in Brussels on Thursday, Ukrinform reports.
“I hope this will be a decisive year for the war in Ukraine and that the aggressor will not be rewarded for his actions. This is necessary not only for Ukraine. This is also in the interests of Europe and even Russia itself. I disagree with those who argue that Putin must be allowed to ‘save face.’ On the contrary, Putin’s failure must be visible. Russia must rid itself of its imperialist beliefs. Russian history shows not only that reforms in Russia begin after military failure but also that transformation within Russia only happens after such a failure,” he said.
He noted that when Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he violated not only all norms of international law but also his own commitments. Russia itself had guaranteed Ukraine’s independence and territorial integrity — not just within the well-known Budapest Memorandum on nuclear disarmament, but also as part of multiple bilateral agreements between Russia and Ukraine.
“Putin personally negotiated and signed the agreement between Russia and Ukraine on borders, making him a violator of his own domestic laws. And he could end this war with a single phone call to Gerasimov [Chief of the Russian General Staff], saying: ‘Let’s pull our soldiers out of Ukraine.’ I am not concerned with making Putin feel comfortable or preserving his political image. When you invade another country, you risk consequences for both your nation and yourself,” Sikorski said.
Photo: EPA
Source: Putin's failure must be visible: Sikorski hopes this year will be decisive for war in Ukraine
