Social media has attacked Keith Kellogg. Although it is not so much to condemn as to carefully read what he proposes. After all, Kellogg is one of Donald Trump's main advisors, and therefore, a potential architect of the new American policy towards Ukraine.
Kellogg, like his opponent Vitkov, essentially propose the same thing - to freeze the conflict and give Russia the occupied territories. Vitkov says directly: let's freeze the conflict not even along the line of contact, but along the borders of the regions that Russia illegally inscribed in its constitution. Kellogg proposes - to introduce allied troops, but only to the Dnieper. So that, God forbid, we do not provoke a conflict between NATO and Russian troops on the Left Bank. This does not guarantee stopping the aggressor's offensive. That is, we must voluntarily surrender part of the country to the aggressor. Such is the "peace plan."
But the flaw in both approaches is not only that they ultimately benefit Russia to a greater or lesser extent. They indicate the main problem: the lack of a Ukrainian position.
We should not wait for proposals from Washington. We should not applaud any “allied initiative.” We should have our own plans. Our own vision. Our own goal. Which we should convincingly offer to the allies.
The international press has repeatedly written about the failure of Ukrainian-American planning, in particular during counteroffensives. The distribution of forces between the southern direction (Melitopol) and the eastern (Bakhmut) turned out to be fatal. They did not listen to either Western analysts or their own military. It was impossible to win in such a configuration.
Political decisions too often prevail over military ones. This is a mistake. As is the lack of parliamentary and public control over key processes - from logistics to procurement and appointments in the General Staff. No one in parliament even knows who and how decided to divide forces for an offensive that did not bring results.
We don't know who is negotiating with the EU. And how successfully. But it is obvious that without transparency, adherence to the Copenhagen criteria, freedom of speech, and the rule of law, the path to the European Union will be closed to us.
We will not win if we are not honest with ourselves. The only way out is to change the governance model. Not mobilization for elections, but mobilization for the state. Involvement of the best people. Parliamentary and public control. Professional command of the army. Professional diplomacy. Strategic vision. And, ultimately, an honest conversation with society.
Because despite the heroism of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, victory is not only about the front. It is also about intelligence, responsibility, and European standards within the country.
Source: facebook.com/mykolakn
