Although I do believe that President Trump has done many good things to bring peace to many of the warring factions around the world and, in my opinion, has and is doing good things for the USA, I rarely, if ever, am in concert with liberal views and comments.

Now, I may have to boil my lips and burn these typing fingers when I say that I agree with the general liberal opinion that President Trump has presented a so-called peace plan that is nothing more than a Putin generated blue print for illegally gaining not only ground now held by Russian forces, but also for Ukraine to capitulate and surrender additional ground that is now held (as it should be) by Ukraine. This is nothing more than giving the Russian forces a chance to re-tool, re-arm, and rebuild for any future re- invasion of Ukraine and possibly invasion of former Soviet Bloc members such as Poland, Romania, and others, and this time pulling all of Europe and the US into a deadly and bloody conflict.

Folding to the will of the Russian despot will not be the cure for ending this terrible war, nor will it be the end of Russian aggression. By following this so-called peace plan, it will only embolden the Russian Dictator and feed his dream of reinstituting the USSR as we, and others, are unable to stop his insatiable lust for absolute power. This is not a peace plan but an unconditional surrender of a brave and dedicated people trying to just live their lives in peace and President Zelenskyy should not fall into this trap by giving his consent to this plan. It would result in a perilous end for a free and prosperous Ukraine.

That is not to say that negotiations should not happen If both parties are in concert with establishing a fair and lasting agreement to end this terrible war, then by all means enter into a reasonable discussion to stop the fighting, re-establish the existing Ukraine borders, and invite a non-UN affiliated peace keeping group to ensure that this type of illegal incursion on a sovereign country does not happen again without encountering the consequences of such actions.

Putin will not stop with Ukraine and whatever the cost is in lives lost, equipment destroyed, or anything short of European/US involvement, will continue his aggression relentlessly until he has achieved his goal of domination of free and peace-loving nations. We as the leader of the free world, along with our European allies, need to ensure that Ukraine is successful and victorious either by peaceful means or by complete freedom to take the fight straight to the Russian homeland, as they are now gaining the ability to do so. World peace and safety depend on Ukraine and its successful resistance to unwanted and illegal aggression.

MEL BENJAMIN

Watsontown

Submitted by Virtual Newsroom