Putin as the Ultimate Dictator: 9 Essential Truths About the Ukraine-Russia Conflict We Must Acknowledge

This week has been tumultuous and perplexing in the realm of international diplomacy, with significant consequences for Ukraine, the position of America on the global stage, and the legacy of President Trump.

President Trump is correct in his pursuit to end the violence in Ukraine. The suffering has been severe and the deadlock has been brutal. Amidst the turbulent array of opinions emerging this week from the White House and beyond, there are at least 10 fundamental truths that every American voter must keep in mind.

In his eagerness to put a stop to the bloodshed, these are the truths against which any agreements will be assessed and which will shape his legacy in the annals of history.

To disregard them or not assign the significance they warrant will have dire implications for generations to come:

TRUTH No. 1

Vladimir Putin initiated this war, contrary to President Trump’s recent statements.

In February 2022, following a substantial military buildup along Ukraine’s borders, Putin’s forces commenced a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. There is no rational narrative, aside from Russian propaganda, that blames “aggressive” maneuvers by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky or NATO for justifying such military aggression. This followed Putin’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and his incursion into the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine.

This does not even account for the other conflicts he instigated, such as the one against the small nation of Georgia in 2008.

Trump is indeed correct that the war “never had to start.” I tend to agree that it would not have begun had he been in office. However, it was Putin, not Zelensky, who ignited the conflict.

TRUTH No. 2

Russia aims for conquest. The Russian Federation invaded Ukraine in 2022. Regardless of one’s perception of the nation or its leaders, Ukraine is a sovereign nation recognized internationally. Putin invaded with the intention of annexing the entire country. Conversely, Ukraine harbors no territorial ambitions towards Russia.

Let’s not overlook the savagery of Russia’s actions. Among the numerous atrocities and war crimes committed by Putin’s military has been the kidnapping of approximately 20,000 Ukrainian children. Who desires to inhabit a world where the powerful can simply subjugate the weak and abduct thousands of innocent children? Why hasn’t the US made their return a primary focus in negotiations?

TRUTH No. 3

Ukraine is fighting for its independence. The vast majority of Ukrainians do not wish to be a part of Russia. They do not want to be governed from Moscow. Most desire to exist as an independent, sovereign nation steering its future.

TRUTH No. 4

Ukrainians are distinct from Russians. Ukrainians and Russians are not “one people — a single whole,” as Putin claimed in a 2021 essay. This statement is a blatant falsehood, as is his assertion that “modern Ukraine is entirely the product of the Soviet era.”

Ukrainians and Russians represent two different ethnicities. They communicate in different languages and possess unique histories.

TRUTH No. 5

Putin is a dictator. Since assuming power in 1999, Putin has governed Russia with an iron grip reminiscent of the KGB. He has brutally suppressed independent media, eliminated fair elections, crushed civil society, and silenced political adversaries, not just in Russia but globally. Dissenters in Russia who oppose the war face imprisonment.

TRUTH No. 6

Zelensky is not a dictator. A political outsider, Zelensky triumphed in the 2019 presidential election, which was largely free and fair. He enjoys a 57% approval rating, contrary to the 4% claimed by Trump.

Unlike Russia, Ukraine boasts a robust independent media that holds the government accountable — despite the contrary claims propagated by online trolls and Russian bots.

Many Ukrainians openly critique the government’s management of the war. During the 1940s, when Britain was engaged in a fight for survival against the Nazis, it too did not hold elections.

The Russian ambassador to the UK recently asserted he is “unsure” if Zelensky would win re-election today. However, one fact remains certain: Regardless of whether he would be re-elected in Ukraine, Putin will perpetually be re-elected in Russia. His elections are mere theatrics and charades. Putin has never prevailed in a fair election, as he doesn’t conduct them.

TRUTH No. 7

Russia is not a friend of the US. It is a hostile, nuclear-armed nation that resents American influence and the world order the US has established. It has established increasingly closer ties with China, Iran, and North Korea. Indeed, its main allies are the largest adversaries of America.

TRUTH No. 8

Ukraine is an ally of the US. Ukraine aspires to be integrated into the American-led international framework. Its populace and government exhibit a strong pro-American sentiment. Since the onset of the Russian invasion, the Ukrainian men and women I have observed fighting at the front lines are doing so to safeguard their families and their homeland. They also understand that if they falter, other nations may follow suit.

TRUTH No. 9

Putin cannot be trusted. This isn’t merely an opinion; it’s a conviction shared by 81% of American voters.

Putin has invaded several nations, breaching numerous international treaties. He has meddled in elections in neighboring countries and disregarded international agreements, including the INF Treaty with the US.

Throughout his career, he has deceived American presidents and European leaders. Recently, he assured Trump that he wouldn’t target Ukrainian energy facilities.

However, just this week, he conducted a widespread missile and drone assault on multiple energy installations in Ukraine. It appears as though Putin’s promises bear little weight, and he doesn’t mind if people are aware of it.

TRUTH No. 10

American support for Ukraine is not being squandered.

No one would claim that Ukraine is devoid of corruption. However, that does not imply its sovereignty and populace should go unprotected.

It’s vital to identify the truly corrupt country in this conflict. Russia operates as a vast kleptocratic regime directed by Putin and a small group of oligarchs who have amassed tremendous wealth while maintaining the majority of the Russian population in abject poverty, a reality that would be astonishing for most in the West.

Throughout their careers, Putin and his allies have been accumulating power and riches. They will eliminate anyone who dares to unveil this corruption. Recall their political rival Alexey Navalny and attorney Sergei Magnitsky? Exposing corruption in Ukraine is relatively safe. In Russia, it’s deadly.

Moreover, according to the Department of Defense, around $58 billion of the $183 billion allocated to Ukraine aid has been spent in America, benefitting American workers and industries.

The conflict has also weakened the military of one of the world’s most oppressive regimes and mitigated their threat not only to Europe but to America, all without a single American soldier lost. It has also conveyed a powerful deterrent message to China, Iran, and North Korea, dissuading them from adopting similar aggressive actions.

Criticism of Zelensky is permissible. Concerns can be raised. But we must not be misled about who ignited this conflict and who the genuine dictator and villain of this narrative is.

President Trump has an opportunity to bring this war to an end, to halt the violence. He could even earn a Nobel Peace Prize.

However, he will not be celebrated if the peace is merely a capitulation, one that succumbs to evil while neglecting undeniable truths.

The historical verdict will be even more unforgiving — decades of peace and prosperity in Europe and America squandered in favor of a resurgent Russia causing chaos in the east. Without a robust peace, Ukraine will not be the only one to suffer; we all will.

That is the ultimate truth.