If Kyiv is forced to settle, it will ensure neither justice nor peace. Only victory will stop Putin from attacking again.
Despite the cruelty and hatred unleashed by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s regime, Ukraine continues to resist the aggressor – it is prepared to fight until victory.
A year ago, many doubted Ukraine. They claimed that within a few days – or at most, weeks – Russia would take Kyiv. And some of those voices, which proved so obviously misguided back then, are now spreading “peace plans,” urging Ukraine to accept concessions regarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity in exchange for Russia’s agreement to end the war.
However, these “peace plans” are based on prevailing myths that we must face before they become reality.
First myth – Ukraine is incapable of reclaiming its territories
Ukraine has already debunked this claim by reclaiming territory from Russian control – from the outskirts of Kyiv to Kharkiv and Kherson. The Ukrainians have the will to fight and an effective strategy to recover everything that belongs to them. Instead, the pace of our support hinders their ability to act faster and ultimately increases the death toll.
More weapons, more ammunition, and more training are the sure path to the full restoration of Ukrainian territory. And to achieve this, we need a long-term strategy that will allow Ukraine to completely push Russia beyond its internationally recognised borders.
Second myth – Russia is invincible
Despite Russia’s disregard for human life and its reckless readiness to throw soldiers away as cannon fodder, its mindless casualty count still fails to close the capability gap. Ukrainian troops have high morale, competent commanders, and access to significantly better technology.
We must also accept the reality that the West – with its defence industry output still at peacetime levels – has not yet begun to fully flex its military muscles. The combined nominal GDP of the Nordic and Baltic states alone is greater than that of Russia, and these are the real facts that should be considered in Western strategy, rather than Moscow's narrative that it is a peer of NATO. The key is mindset, determination, and political will.
Third myth – Russia will tire and want to settle
Putin is not prepared to settle for a fair and lasting peace. Just as in 2008 and 2014, this latest war is fuelling Russian revanchism, and when Western partners speak of a potential settlement or freezing the conflict, Moscow perceives it not as a retreat, but as a sign of Western fatigue.
Instead of bringing peace closer, constant talk about ending the war through negotiations only increases the costs for Ukraine – and for Western allies. Therefore, this war will have to be “settled” on the battlefield, because any agreement that provided Russia with real or perceived gains would only be a breather before the next phase of the war.
Fourth myth – Crimea is a red line for Putin
Putin likes to draw lines in the sand. He knows the West will take them seriously, just as he would take them himself. And over the course of this war, Putin has repeatedly drawn new red lines.
However, these lines limit the speed of our decision-making. Internationally agreed borders may be the only red line, and Crimea is Ukraine. If Ukraine does not allow Ukraine to reclaim Crimea, it will never stop Putin’s desire for an even larger Crimea.
Fifth myth – Putin’s Russia has a life after the war
Putin and some politicians in the West still rely on the idea that “Russia will still be there” after the war, thus planning to return to business as usual. This comes with the prevailing fear that Putin’s successor will be even more cruel and vengeful.
However, we should view Russia’s defeat not as a threat, but as an opportunity to build a different, transformed country that no longer threatens its neighbours. Instead of fearing Russia’s transformation, we must accept that, although 30 years have passed, the collapse of the Soviet Union is not yet complete – and it will never be complete until the mindset in Moscow has changed.
Sixth myth – all wars end in negotiations
That is a narrative that does not stand up to historical scrutiny. After the Second World War, European countries did not recover their territories through diplomatic negotiations with the Nazi regime. Imagine if, at the end of 1942, when Adolf Hitler was stuck in Stalingrad and half of Europe was still occupied, someone had sat down at the negotiating table with Hitler.
Moreover, has any ceasefire agreement with Russia ever truly ensured a sustainable peace? Why do Georgians still go to sleep fearing that the next attack will take away their own backyards? Did the Minsk agreements stop the war, or did they rather give Russia time to prepare for an attack?
The 1994 Budapest Memorandum, which gave Ukraine security guarantees in exchange for giving up its nuclear stockpiles, also proved to be empty promises. Therefore, Russia must now be defeated militarily rather than invited to a peace conference. Ukraine should be invited to join NATO as soon as conditions allow, because only NATO can provide real security guarantees.
Seventh myth – the Baltic states and Poland only want revenge on Russia
The war against Ukraine is fuelled by Russia’s resentment over the collapse of the Soviet Union. Russia’s vengeful imperialist plan is an existential challenge not only to Ukraine but to all border states – including my country, Lithuania.
Every decision we have made in the last three decades has been about ensuring security for our people. When we warned about the Russian threat, we were dismissed as alarmists, but it turned out that we were right. We continue to express concern because we know that Putin’s regime is not yet over, and the world will not be safe until it is.
Just like Ukraine, we want a fair and lasting peace. But if Ukraine is forced to settle, it will ensure neither justice nor peace.
Therefore, Ukraine’s victory is our victory. Their security is our security. Only victory will stop Putin’s attempts to threaten us again.