Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsUkrainians don't see Russia's war crimes as an invitation to negotiate
Link to tweet
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/03/24/ukraine-russia-war-crime-negotiations-talks-mariupol-zelensky-ultimatums/
No paywall
https://archive.ph/ZFwGV
KYIV, Ukraine The Russians have asked Ukrainian forces to surrender Mariupol. The Ukrainians have refused.
I can easily imagine that some observers in the outside world might find that bewildering. The Russians have shelled the city into a smoking wreck, targeting residential areas. First, the airstrikes destroyed power stations, so theres no more electricity. Then the biggest supermarkets were obliterated, so theres no food. After another deliberate attack, the firefighters no longer had vehicles, leaving them struggling to put out fires and rescue survivors.
Nothing could show more clearly how Russia aims to continue this war. If Vladimir Putins troops dont win battles with the Ukrainian military, theyll attack civilians, pressuring the government to surrender. In Mariupol right now, an estimated 300,000 people are effectively being held hostage by the Russian troops who have encircled the city.
Those watching from afar struggle to understand how Ukrainians should respond. Ive been getting calls from analysts in Paris and London, asking me why we dont simply give up Mariupol. Theyre also asking me how Russians and Ukrainians can arrive at a deal to end the war. Surely, the reasoning goes, anything must be better than enduring such slaughter.
But we dont see airstrikes on maternity hospitals and bomb shelters where kids and women hide as invitations to negotiate. We see them as demonstrations of what the Kremlin will do to Ukrainians if it can. Its not about pride. Its about survival. We have no choice but to win. If we lose, we know what awaits us.
*snip*
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
3 replies, 523 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (10)
ReplyReply to this post
3 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Ukrainians don't see Russia's war crimes as an invitation to negotiate (Original Post)
Nevilledog
Mar 2022
OP
K&R, "we'll stop killing your children and mothers if you talk to us ... " is a horrible starting
uponit7771
Mar 2022
#1
Anyone saying they should give up their city, needs to put themselves in Ukrainian shoes.
onecaliberal
Mar 2022
#2
uponit7771
(90,304 posts)1. K&R, "we'll stop killing your children and mothers if you talk to us ... " is a horrible starting
... point when you're even on the battle field.
onecaliberal
(32,786 posts)2. Anyone saying they should give up their city, needs to put themselves in Ukrainian shoes.
Would anyone here think its okay for a foreign military to come, occupy and kill your citizens until YOU LEAVE?
dhol82
(9,352 posts)3. They're right.