Jackson Jambalaya

The world saw a lot of flash and sizzle inside Washington’s pomp and ceremony for a few days in August. The prospect of ending the brutal war was a miracle of worldwide proportions buried under years of twisted circumstances.

President Trump led the activities after mere months of behind-the-scenes mediation and negotiations. First he met one-on-one with Russian President Putin in Alaska probably the most apropos location on the planet for such a meeting. The two leaders ended the summit declaring positive results. After which Trump called Ukrainian President Zelenskyy to confer on how to proceed with talks.

European leaders had earlier demanded that President Zelenskyy be included in this beginning of talks and hinted that maybe even a European leader should join. But President Trump was leading the world, and he had already met with one president. Before meeting with Putin, Trump had indicated that he was hoping to set a time and place for Putin and Zelenskyy to meet one on one. He ceded he would be willing to meet with them if they agreed.

President Trump was trying to work his magic in dealmaking by chipping away concessions from each leader before calling in reinforcements from Europe. Nevertheless, the Trump-Putin meeting ended without an agreement.

As Zelenskyy conferred with European leaders, Trump sweetened the pie offering American air support along with whatever Europe would offer to maintain security between the two battling sides.

In what had felt like a few days, President Trump had met personally with President Putin, communicated with President Zelenskyy, and orchestrated meetings between his team and their counterparts around the world. Proposals for peace were flying like supersonic missiles from capital to capital and leaders hoped beyond hope that the world could possibly see peace between Russia and Ukraine.

Before news organizations and spokespeople could catch their collective breath, heads of nearly three dozen countries, NATO, and the European Union flew to the White House at the last minute to make a plan. The spectacle of so many world leaders assembling so quickly exhibiting unexpected unity and camaraderie overshadowed the prospect of a peace fire much less a peace proposal. While all the pronouncements made by the leaders were encouraging, the failure to construct a unified proposal for the two warring parties left a lingering uncertainty.

Once filled with sound and fury of hope, the teacup settled into a distant drumbeat of dread. Russia continued to attack Ukrainian civil sites while Ukraine attacked strategic military sites. THE WAR melted away from American headlines as domestic political enemies fought over law and order.

Ukraine cannot end the war. Even in the face of Ukraine’s unconditional surrender, Putin would never withdraw any forces, economic or occupational, from completely controlling every aspect of life in Ukraine. Could the rest of the world live with that?

Millions of civilians and soldiers have died on both sides during this stupid war. Neither party has a “winning hand.” Putin evidently believes he can win regardless of otherwise staggering losses. What loss might convince Putin to end the war? Could the whole world end the war? Could one man’s ambition cost the world everything? Can any power on earth stop Putin and end the carnage? Stop the war!

Daniel L. Gardner is a columnist who lives in Starkville, MS. You may contact him at PJandMe2@gmail.com.