CNN reports that following President-elect Donald J. Trump’s nomination of Lt. General Joseph Keith Kellogg, Jr. (Ret.) to serve as Assistant to the President and Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Trump posted on Truth Social that “[t]ogether, we will secure PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH, and Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN!”
Kellogg believes the United States should have given Ukraine more weapons before the Russian invasion, saying that the Biden administration “gave too little lethal aid too late,” but this is where Kellogg’s plan to end the war likely stops being to Ukraine’s liking.
Kellogg says that the U.S. plan to end the war should become “a formal [U.S.] policy to seek a ceasefire and negotiated settlement,” with future U.S. aid conditioned on Ukraine negotiating with Russia, and with the United States arming Ukraine to the extent it can defend itself and stop any further Russian advances before and after any peace deal.
CNN notes that this approach may already be ‘dated’ due to Moscow’s quick advance underway in eastern Ukraine and the high level of U.S. military aid already flowing to Ukraine – making Kellogg uncomfortable.
The CNN report may be read in its entirety HERE.
My brothers and sisters, the inherent problem in resolving Russia’s war against Ukraine is that there was no justification for the attack in the first place, and Russia had already illegally annexed Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula in early 2014, essentially stomping on an agreement with Russia and United States that was signed 30 years ago – the Budapest Memorandum.
On December 5, 2019, Brookings published a commentary titled “Why Care About Ukraine and the Budapest Memorandum.”
The Brookings article stated that following the collapse of the former Soviet Union and prior to agreeing to give up its existing nuclear weapons arsenal (those of the former Soviet Union), Ukraine sought three assurances. First, it wanted compensation for the value of the highly-enriched uranium in the nuclear warheads, which could be blended down for use as fuel for nuclear reactors, to which Russia agreed. Second, it wanted elimination of existing nuclear ICBMs, ICBM silos, and bombers, for which the United States agreed to pay. Third, it wanted guarantees or assurances of its security once it got rid of the nuclear arms it ‘inherited’ as part of the break up of the former Soviet Union.
The Budapest Memorandum provided these security assurances.
Unfortunately, Russia has broken virtually all the commitments it undertook in that document by using military force to seize and illegally annex Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula in early 2014. Russian and Russian proxy forces waged war for more than five years in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbas, claiming more than 13,000 lives and driving some two million people from their homes.
The Brookings article may be read in full HERE.
Russia’s war against Ukraine, which started on February 24, 2022, continues to this day. Russia mercilessly considers the loss of thousands of Ukrainian citizens, as well as Russian and Ukrainian (and now North Korean) troops and equipment, to be justified. Lord have mercy!
If you have read any of this writer’s articles regarding Ukraine, you know that I am a STRONG and unapologetic supporter of Ukraine and U.S. support for Ukraine in this unprovoked war of aggression by Russia. For Russian President Vladimir Putin, this is a war of choice, not a ‘just’ war.
The Russia-Ukraine War is an evil war being pursued with little to no concern for the loss of lives in Ukraine or even for Russia’s own military members. Russia suffers under the leadership of Putin, who is a former Soviet KGB officer seeking the destruction of Ukraine and the death of Ukraine’s elected president in an apparent effort to relive the ‘glory’ days of the former Soviet Union and the Cold War — placing all NATO-aligned nations at potential risk if left unchecked.
Regardless of our personal political views, with the incoming Trump administration, the United States has a fresh opportunity to seek resolution to many of the ongoing hostilities which erupted during the Biden administration (e.g., Russia/Ukraine War, Hamas/Hezbollah/Iranian attacks against Israel, and globally increasing antisemitism).
Let’s pray for wisdom for all of our governmental leaders, and in particular, the newly-nominated Trump administration cabinet members and agency leaders, that they would seek the Lord first as they perform their duties in service to the country.
The Bible tells us that we should pray for all those in high positions (that His will would be done):
1 Timothy 2:1-3 (ESV)
“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior…”.
The Bible reminds us that the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God and that we are to walk with those who are wise:
1 Corinthians 3:19 (NLT)
“For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say, ‘He traps the wise in the snare of their own cleverness.’”
Proverbs 13:20 (NKJV)
“He who walks with wise men will be wise, [b]ut the companion of fools will be destroyed.”
And, as difficult as it can be to accept, the Bible tells us there is a time for everything, even war:
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (Amplified Bible)
A Time for Everything
“There is a season (a time appointed) for everything and a time for every delight and event or purpose under heaven—[a] time to be born and a time to die; [a] time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted. A time to kill and a time to heal; [a] time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to weep and a time to laugh; [a] time to mourn and a time to dance. A time to throw away stones and a time to gather stones; [a] time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing. A time to search and a time to give up as lost; [a] time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; [a] time to keep silent and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate; [a] time for war and a time for peace [emphasis mine].”
