Why would people living in free countries like Bulgaria be happy about Russia's victory in the war with Ukraine? History shows that those who do not value the freedom of others easily part with their own.
The announced "peace plan" for Ukraine of 28 points by President Donald Trump has delighted many, especially those who have been declaring Russia's victory in the war for almost four years. However, this victory is not yet a fact and Ukraine continues to fight – even Pokrovsk, where a large Russian force is concentrated, is holding out and the progress of the Russian army is not particularly impressive. In this situation, proposals are (again) emerging from the White House for the surrender of the fortified Ukrainian lines in Donetsk, Ukraine's refusal to join NATO, the reduction of its army and the lifting of some of Russia's sanctions. This is by no means an offer that is advantageous for Ukraine. But it is not the "victory" of Russia that Putinists in Bulgaria and abroad regularly trumpet.
How far will the lack of freedom go?
However, before we get to the nature of Russia's "victory" that has not happened, a very important question arises. Why would people living in free countries like Bulgaria rejoice in a Russian victory in the war with Ukraine? This joy is strange and incomprehensible, especially for Europeans who should value freedom and democracy. It is absolutely clear that if Russia wins this war and seizes Ukraine or deprives it of sovereignty, the borders of Unfreedom will move even closer to the EU. This is because Russia will impose its own model of government, which can be unambiguously defined as an autocracy or dictatorship. In Slavic translation - an autocracy, in which there is unlimited power concentrated in the hands of a single ruler. In its modern version of the Putin regime in Moscow, this autocracy uses serious violence against its opponents: many of them are killed, imprisoned or forced to immigrate. Against the rest, there are strict repressive measures and complete control over the means of expression and forms of association.
So what is the joy in spreading this type of unfreedom in Europe and bringing it even closer to our borders? There is of course no reasonable answer, except for the insinuations that Ukraine is not an ideal democracy either, that there is corruption in the country, etc. These insinuations contain truth - confirmed by the swirling corruption scandal in Kiev, but they again do not explain the joy of the dictatorship's success. Because a possible success of Putin will not improve these problems of Ukraine in any way, but will worsen them and burden them with a total absence of freedom – with autocracy. No matter how you compare Ukraine and Russia, the former is a problematic democracy, and the latter is an outright and unlimited dictatorship. And in terms of corruption, Russia has no advantage over Ukraine: after all, Navalny was killed precisely because he allowed himself to make a film about Putin's palace and his abuse of public funds. In Ukraine, at least, an independent investigation of corruption is possible.
Moreover, Ukraine strives to be a free and democratic state. It may not succeed in everything, but it shares these values. Putin's Russia is militantly fighting against them as a harmful "Western" influence. If unfreedom is the Russian alternative – and this is actually the basic principle of the regime in Moscow – then why is there really joy and gloating over the successes of this alternative in some circles in our country, and in Europe in general?
Let this question remain open, because it has no understandable and justified answer anyway. But before the joy over the progress of unfreedom has completely run wild, it must still be said that there can be no talk of a "victory" of unfreedom. Even if Trump's plan - which is undeniably flawed - is imposed in full and without changes, unfreedom will not triumph. This is because this plan still contains the preservation of a sovereign Ukraine and the possibility of its membership in the EU. It also includes military coordinated actions in the event of a failure to maintain peace, which opens up possibilities for military guarantees with the participation of the United States. If this is agreed upon by Ukraine, the country's future will look far more secure.
The plan – at least what has leaked to the media – has many weaknesses, however, which allow Putin to exit the conflict without looking defeated. The ambiguity regarding military guarantees for Ukraine's security is just one of these weaknesses, perhaps the main one. No less important, however, are the proposals for the reconstruction of Ukraine, which aim to shift the financial burden to Europe and free up frozen Russian funds. These provisions will only undermine American prestige on the world stage, presenting the United States as a pseudo-colonial power behaving in a manner familiar from the 19th century. The peace plan is also sobering for Europe, which must seriously take its own defense into its own hands. He will gain some time, which should be used as effectively as possible by the Europeans to create sufficient military power as a deterrent against Russia's ambitions.
Those who do not value the freedom of others
There is another issue that could torpedo Trump's plan. This is public opinion in the US, which is quite pro-Ukrainian. Including a large part of the Republican Party would not easily accept a deal that can be sold as a "victory" for Putin. Trump currently has enough problems with growing unpopularity – he does not need another reason for disapproval and this will be a factor that he will keep under his eyes.
The Bulgarian question of the joy of the progress of unfreedom remains, however. History shows that those who do not value the freedom of others easily part with their own.
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This comment expresses the personal opinion of the author and may not coincide with the positions of the Bulgarian editorial office and the State Gazette as a whole.