If Donald Trump were
to content himself with annexing the southern part of Ontario Province rather
than the whole of Canada (initially at least, always reserving the option to
return for more at some future date), he would probably see that as being a
major concession to Canada. From such a perspective, Putin only seizing 20% of
Ukrainian territory also looks like a huge concession.
It may look like a strange definition of ‘concession’ to most of us, but it’s
easy enough to see how it would look different to someone who believes that the
strong and powerful should be free to exercise their strength to get whatever
they want. A bully who settles for less than he could take will always see
himself as being generous.
That doesn’t alter
the fact that the reality remains that, unless other states are willing to
commit their own armed forces on the side of Ukraine (and I really hope that
they’re not), sooner or later the country will either be swallowed up by Russia
or else a negotiated peace settlement will involve the de facto, if not the de
jure, surrender of lands, leaving the world with another of those long term
frozen territorial disputes around borders. It’s neither fair nor just, but in
the absence of any means of compelling the surrender of conquered territory, it’s
a hard fact. Encouraging Ukraine to fight on merely adds to the terrible death
toll which has already occurred – one of the few things on which I agree with what
Trump says.
It's still somewhat
depressing that, even recognising that harsh reality, the debate and
negotiation all seems to revolve around what land and territory should be ceded
to whom, with little consideration for the people living, whether currently or
formerly, in those areas. One of Putin’s demands is for Ukraine to respect the
rights of Russian-speakers living in Ukraine. (Being a native Russian speaker in
Ukraine doesn’t make someone a Russian of course, any more than being a native
English speaker in Wales makes someone English, although it's a distinction
lost on Putin.) But what about the equivalent rights of Ukrainian speakers in
the occupied territories? Or even those living in those territories whose
native tongue is Russian but who nevertheless consider themselves Ukrainian?
What about the citizens of those territories who have been forcibly removed to
remote regions of Russia – to say nothing of the children who have been abducted,
adopted, and who Russia has attempted to indoctrinate into hating their own families
and nation?
Land and territory
are tangible; people can swap maps with different proposals as to where lines
should be drawn. But land and territory have always been moved between states,
usually by the exercise of force. They are ultimately less important, however,
than the lives and wellbeing of people, and the right of those people to choose
their own nationality and identity. I’m far from convinced that that relative
importance is receiving due attention in any negotiation process, but then
neither Trump nor Putin are individuals who particularly care about people.