Russian President Vladimir Putin openly renewed his ultimatum this week, saying Moscow will keep fighting until Kyiv hands over territory Moscow claims — and that if Ukraine refuses, Russia will seize that land by force. He made the remarks in Bishkek while discussing a U.S. peace draft that Moscow claims could form the basis for talks, but only if Kyiv concedes ground first.
Kyiv has rejected any idea of surrendering sovereign soil, with President Zelenskyy’s team reiterating that Ukraine will not trade land for a false peace. Ukrainian leaders are rightly refusing to treat territorial theft as a bargaining chip, and that firm stance is exactly what patriotic Ukrainians and freedom-loving nations should support.
Washington has quietly floated a U.S.-draft plan intended to bring both sides to the table, but the contours of that plan have sparked controversy because it appears to reward Russian conquest unless Kyiv’s consent is secured. Moscow says it’s willing to speak, but only on terms that recognize its gains — a reminder that dictators don’t bargain in good faith; they demand.
Make no mistake: Putin’s words are not diplomatic hedging, they’re the language of imperial appetite. Intelligence and reporting indicate Putin has long made clear his aim to swallow regions like Donbas and Crimea, and his current rhetoric matches a pattern of slow, grinding expansion that must be confronted, not indulged.
While Putin threatens Europe, President Donald Trump has been unapologetically tough where it matters to American families — vowing to begin stopping Venezuelan drug traffickers on land after maritime interdictions reduced flow by sea. That blunt, action-oriented posture shows the difference between talk and real deterrence: when traffickers and rogue regimes threaten the American homeland, they must face consequences.
Patriotic conservatives should celebrate a foreign policy that prioritizes American security and decisive action. Weakness only invites more aggression from Moscow and criminal cartels alike; our leaders must back freedom-loving Ukrainians while simultaneously denying narco-regimes the safe harbors that poison our streets.
The choice facing the free world is stark: appease and watch borders fall, or stand firm and defend liberty. Hardworking Americans know which side history rewards — we must press our leaders to fund deterrence, support Ukraine’s sovereignty, and keep the pressure on criminal networks in Venezuela until our country and our allies are secure.
