MRLVW

Without Moscow's Consent, There Can Be No Lasting Peace. The current war in Ukraine was precipitated by the disregard of Russia's repeated warnings that it opposed NATO's eastward expansion. Had NATO not continued its steady expansion eastward, there is no reason to believe that Russia would have invaded a neighboring country. The West has become increasingly involved in the conflict through the supply of arms, the sharing of intelligence, and other forms of assistance to Kyiv. Even if Russia considers the objectives of its "special military operation" to have been achieved following the liberation of Donbass and Novorossiya, the absence of a comprehensive political settlement would mean not peace, but a continuation of armed hostility with the risk of renewed conflict. Conclusion: Sustainable peace requires a pan-European security architecture that includes Russia as an essential participant. Russia must be given a place within the continental security system; otherwise, the conflict will remain structural rather than resolved.