Should war hostilities abate between Russia and Ukraine, the only way to deter Moscow will be to further strengthen Kyiv as quickly as possible, said Timothy Snyder, a distinguished Yale University historian who has written books and given free lessons on Ukraine’s history.
“If there is a ceasefire, for Putin, it’s simply an alarm clock. Nine months later, he will start the war again – or in 12 months, or 15 months,” he said.in an interview with RFI during his visit to Kyiv.
Providing additional military assistance to Ukraine was particularly mentioned. This will ensure that when Putin attempts another invasion, he will not succeed, Snyder said.
“Russia will not observe ceasefires with Ukraine on its own – they never have. They violated the Minsk agreements from the very beginning, and there’s no reason to trust them. But precisely because they can’t be trusted, action is necessary,” he said.
Snyder also said that the entire Western world is living on borrowed time, time that Ukraine has bought with its immense sacrifice. But Ukrainians are paying for the freedom of the world with their blood.
“I feel like we don’t respect enough all the courage that’s involved, and I think in a way we’re a little intimidated by the courage and so have trouble recognizing it,” he said.
Furthermore, Snyder pointed out that the West fails to grasp how quickly the situation could deteriorate if Ukrainians stop fighting.
You can watch the full interview at the link.
Cover: open sources
