Opinion: We may be charging headfirst into WWIII

You can’t tell the players if you don’t have a program.

From 1922 until 1991, “Ukraine” was the informal name of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic within the Soviet Union, with the exception of 1941-1944 (World War II) when Ukraine was annexed by Germany as Reichskommissariat Ukraine.

When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Ukraine became independent and has struggled to form a stable democracy, economy, and has fought to deal with government corruption. Additionally, the alliance with Germany during WWII has resulted in an on-going National Socialist movement, noticeably in the armed forces with the formation of units that include the Azov Brigade.

From around 2002 through 2014 Viktor Yanukovych served in the Ukrainian Rada, held the office as the prime minister of Ukraine and culminated his career as president from 2010- 2014. Yanukovych pursued a non-alignment policy, which ended with the Maidan coup in 2014.

Yanukovych was considered by many neo-conservatives in the U.S. Department of State as being pro-Russian and thus had to go. He was followed by President Petro Poroshenko from 2014-2019. And that leaves us with Volodymyr Zelensky and the current war.

Ukraine is not now and has never been a member of the European Union or of NATO. Both of these organizations have denied membership to Ukraine due to its stated reasons of corruption and the NAZI influence present in the Ukrainian military. These technicalities have not hindered either the EU or NATO from sending money and military material to Ukraine.

In spite of this continued support, many western governments and publications have begun to realize that Ukraine is losing the war. The Kursk incursion is faltering and the Donbas front is collapsing, leaving the path to the Dnipro River unprotected.

Zelensky has cobbled together a last-ditch sales presentation called his “Victory Plan,” that he showcased at the United Nations as I write this. He also reportedly discussed the plan with President Biden, Vice President Harris, Donald Trump and J.D. Vance. There is no doubt he talked to anyone else who will listen to him as this seems to be his last chance.

When you cut to the chase, the actual Zelensky “Survival Plan” has Ukraine joining NATO; NATO initiating Article Five with U.S. boots on the ground; Ukraine wins the expanded war.

Europeans seem to be in favor of this. I wonder where Europeans think the war will be fought.

Rube Render is a former Clovis city commissioner and former chair of the Curry County Republican Party. Contact him:

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