Timothy Snyder: Defeating Russia is best way to end war

Russia can be defeated – and this is the most achievable outcome for ending the war, said Timothy Snyder, a distinguished U.S. historian, an expert on Central and Eastern Europe, the Soviet Union, and the Holocaust, a Professor of History at Yale University, in an interview with Kyiv-based Dzerkalo Tyzhnia.

“Perhaps not next week or next month, but within a year or so, [Russia’s defeat] is possible,” Snyder said.

He noted that the Russian economy could sustain itself for about another year but “not much longer.” 

However, for Russia to face defeat, Europe and North America must provide Ukraine with “more support than they currently do.”  

Snyder described this as the maximum possible outcome for ending the war. A minimally sufficient scenario, in his view, would be an agreement that preserves Ukraine’s sovereignty.  

“For Ukraine to exist, it doesn’t necessarily need to control all of its territory,” he explained.  

However, for Ukraine’s survival, it must have full control over its internal and external policies, such as deciding the size of its military and choosing which alliances to join. Snyder also predicted Ukraine’s accession to the EU within “around five years.”  

“I believe the minimum Ukraine needs to endure the war is sovereignty paired with the prospect of joining Europe. Anything less would amount to a defeat, ultimately leading to the end of Ukraine as a nation,” he said.  

Read the full interview at the link.