With the Russian invasion of Ukraine in its third year, there is a growing belief among some international observers that Ukraine should be forced into a ceasefire with Russia. They claim that the war has entered a stalemate.

Some state that the Ukrainians cannot win the war. Others argue that a ceasefire would freeze the conflict, assuming the Russians would honor the agreement. Finally, some say that an agreement would save lives.

But calls for a forced agreement between Ukraine and Russia are naïve. First, they ignore the voices of Ukrainians. According to independently conducted public opinion polls organized by Gallup, the International Republican Institute and the National Democratic Institute, most Ukrainian citizens believe that only a total Ukrainian victory and liberation of their country from Russia will end the war.

Second, calls for peace negotiations ignore that Russia has a history of violating ceasefires and international norms. In these instances, the Russians have ignored the terms of the agreements. Instead, they choose to pursue policies favoring Russian interests, disregarding the standards established. There are some recent examples where this has occurred.

During the collapse of the Soviet Union, 15 new republics were formed. One of them was Moldova. As this Eastern European country became independent, there were growing concerns that Moldova may try to reunite with Romania. The Russian-speaking........

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