The war in Ukraine isn’t just about Ukraine, it’s part of a much bigger story. The United States and its NATO allies have a clear agenda: to maintain what they call the “rules-based international order.” That’s a fancy way of saying they want to stay in charge of global politics and keep countries like Russia in check. Their ultimate goal seems to be weakening Russia so much that it becomes too small or too divided to challenge Western power.
But here’s the problem: Russia isn’t a small or weak country. It’s a superpower with a long history, deep pride, and its own way of seeing the world. Trying to force Russia into submission won’t work. If anything, it’s making things worse. The sanctions, isolation, and billions of dollars in weapons being sent to Ukraine haven’t made Russia back down. Instead, they’ve made Russia dig in deeper, convinced this is about destroying them, not just stopping the war.
This is where Donald Trump has a real opportunity. If he wants to steer America onto a new path during his presidency, he needs to rethink how we handle this war. Instead of trying to crush Russia, we need to start treating them like the powerful country they are and have honest, serious talks about how to end the fighting.
Right now, the people around Trump, military hawks and big talkers, don’t seem to get this. They think tough talk and more weapons will solve everything. But it won’t. Trump needs advisors who understand how big and complicated this war really is. He needs people who know how Russia thinks, especially Putin, who sees this war as a fight for Russia’s survival.
The only way this war ends is through negotiations. That doesn’t mean giving Russia everything it wants, but it does mean taking their concerns seriously. NATO and the U.S. can’t just keep ignoring Russia’s fears about security and expansion into their backyard. Ignoring those concerns is why we’re in this mess in the first place.
This isn’t just about ending a war, it’s about changing how America deals with the world. For too long, we’ve acted like we can tell everyone else what to do. But the world doesn’t work that way anymore. Countries like Russia aren’t going to roll over because we say so. If Trump wants to make a real difference, he needs to lead the U.S. into a new era of diplomacy where we focus on respect, compromise, and peace, not endless wars and power struggles.
This approach isn’t weak; it’s smart. It’s about facing reality and working with it, not against it. A stronger America is one that builds partnerships and solves problems, not one that creates more. If Trump can take this path, he could not only end this war but also reshape America’s role in the world for the better.