In a television interview, President Zelensky has suggested that a peace deal might be based on Ukraine (or parts of it) becoming a Member of NATO. This is not a particularly novel idea, but it does offer a glimpse of where he might be willing to compromise, if put under pressure by the Trump administration in 2025.
There are several hurdles to overcome before this becomes a reality. First, Putin’s main reason for invading Ukraine was to prevent it from joining NATO, which normally only accepts applications from countries that are not at war. Second, Putin’s current tactics are working well; he has the tacit support of a large part of Asia and Africa, so the West’s economic sanctions are not effective; and his superiority in weapons and troops is slowly wearing down his enemies.
There are other problems that the Western Media does not discuss, but those of us who lived through the last Cold War understand only too well. During that time, there were dozens of proxy-wars around the World and vast areas where travel was restricted by authoritarian regimes. As we approach 2025, it seems that we are moving closer to that global model with national independence a thing of the past and nuclear politics back in vogue.
Rupert Wieloch 