Dear President Putin,
The military goals that you set out Mr. President, for your campaign, have not been met. The reality is that your forces have been defeated by the Ukrainians and the Russian military has suffered heavy losses. Russian conscripts lack motivation for this war and your military machine is ineffective. This is the time to make a strategic reassessment.
Mr. President, you were certainly right from Russia’s perspective when two decades ago you proposed that Russia join NATO but you did not explain to your Western interlocutors why Russia was interested in joining NATO. China is a real and growing, yet not immediate threat to Siberia and Central Asia and it is understandable that Mother Russia must do something drastic to defend herself. Conquering Europe to access its economic resources to be able to defend Siberia and Central Asia is a brilliant strategy, yet as we see in Ukraine, it won’t work. Russian soldiers are motivated for war of defense, not war of aggression.
Let me humbly propose the following: Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk receive constitutionally guaranteed autonomy within the internationally recognized borders of Ukraine. Ukraine becomes officially constitutionally bilingual in Ukrainian and Russian on the model of Finland. All sanctions against Russia are lifted. Russia becomes a NATO partner nation and a new defense alliance encircling China, as led by the United States is formed.
Mr. President, the real issue is the defense of Siberia, something which is completely legitimate. Other neighbors of China also have their understandable concerns. China must be contained and prevented from territorially expanding. This is the real issue which must be urgently addressed and a new US-led Asian defense alliance encircling China is undoubtedly the right answer.
Sincerely yours
Daniella Bartfeld
Aliyah Organization 