With Putin’s hope of a quick military victory in Ukraine running up against stiff and unexpected resistance from the Ukrainian army and people and talks between the two sides going on, I hope a diplomatic offensive by the Biden admininstration and other Western goverments accompanies this turn of events.

While differences over the triggering causes of Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine are hotly contested and still unresolved, some common ground among the various protagonists in this debate can likely be found in a series of measures to de-escalate the war – not least support for the current ceasefire and negotiations between the two warring countries, an easing, if not, suspension of punitive sanctions against Russia, a freezing of military assistence to Ukraine’s army, a scaling back of war rhetoric on all sides, and humanitarian assistance to the Ukrainian people.

Yesterday I listened to Ezra Klein’s (NYT) podcast that I highly recommend. It addressed the history, experience, and wisdom of the imposition of economic sanctions by one country on another. The podcast was obviously prompted by Russia’s illegal and immoral invasion of Ukraine and the consequent severe package of sanctions imposed by the U.S. and its NATO allies against Russia, Here is a link to the conversation, which confirmed, I should admit, my deep scepticism of such regimes.

Having been in the Communist Party USA, I find this article a bit chilling. From experience, I know a little about the pressures and dangers of a culture and practice that demand ideological and political conformity.

The commission of war crimes and assassinations of adversaries is prominent in Putin’s resume. It goes navy to the beginning of his Presidency. He has an authoritarian state of mind and a corresponding practice.