David: Apologies - by mistake I deleted your comment which raised the question whether Americans should dictate terms of a war settlement. You suggested that reducing military aid would be an example of this coercion.
Below is my response. I argue that Ukraine's right to determine its own negotiation goals is the most important principle. At the same time, US aid to Ukraine is voluntary and there is no obligation to deliver all of what Ukraine might wish for or need. Two distinct nations, two distinct responsibilities.
As an American, I don’t believe it is my business to tell the Ukrainians what they should give up and what they should hold out for in negotiations. That is their business, not mine, nor, I believe, should it be the business of Washington officials.
The USA (which is a nation state which, importantly, is not me) is free to send them artillery tubes and shells when they ask (just as the US is free to say no to some types of weaponry as well as to say the USA has done its part in helping Ukraine.) The Ukrainians are the responsible party to agree to the terms for ending the war. The USA may have an important role in supporting Ukraine in these negotiations by coordinating promises of relaxation of sanctions against Russia in order to leverage Russian concessions to Ukraine.
Of course the US, as a sovereign state, is free to aid or not aid Ukraine, just as it is free to aid or not aid Israel. What I'm wondering about is your opinions. You have pretty strong opinions about how the USA should or shouldn't aid Israel. But you have no opinions about how the USA should or shouldn't aid Ukraine?
David: Apologies - by mistake I deleted your comment which raised the question whether Americans should dictate terms of a war settlement. You suggested that reducing military aid would be an example of this coercion.
Below is my response. I argue that Ukraine's right to determine its own negotiation goals is the most important principle. At the same time, US aid to Ukraine is voluntary and there is no obligation to deliver all of what Ukraine might wish for or need. Two distinct nations, two distinct responsibilities.
As an American, I don’t believe it is my business to tell the Ukrainians what they should give up and what they should hold out for in negotiations. That is their business, not mine, nor, I believe, should it be the business of Washington officials.
The USA (which is a nation state which, importantly, is not me) is free to send them artillery tubes and shells when they ask (just as the US is free to say no to some types of weaponry as well as to say the USA has done its part in helping Ukraine.) The Ukrainians are the responsible party to agree to the terms for ending the war. The USA may have an important role in supporting Ukraine in these negotiations by coordinating promises of relaxation of sanctions against Russia in order to leverage Russian concessions to Ukraine.
Of course the US, as a sovereign state, is free to aid or not aid Ukraine, just as it is free to aid or not aid Israel. What I'm wondering about is your opinions. You have pretty strong opinions about how the USA should or shouldn't aid Israel. But you have no opinions about how the USA should or shouldn't aid Ukraine?