By Ricardo Sánchez Serra.
The tragedy befalling Ukrainian soldiers in Russia's Kursk region is a devastating reminder of the consequences of arrogance and misguided pride. Thousands of men have been virtually surrounded by Russian troops, a situation that reflects a bitter reality: the invasion of Kursk was a fatal strategic error.
In a gesture of striking humanity in times of war, US President Donald Trump asked Russian leader Vladimir Putin to guarantee respect for the lives of the encircled soldiers. Putin agreed to the request, offering the option of surrender under the protection of the Geneva Convention—a remarkable concession, given that, under Russian law, these soldiers could have been prosecuted as terrorists.
However, far from facing reality, Volodymyr Zelensky chose to deny it. Despite irrefutable evidence from satellites, photos, and videos, the Ukrainian president insists his troops are not surrounded, calling the facts Russian propaganda. Meanwhile, desperate soldiers are abandoning Western weapons, including tanks and cannons, and fleeing disguised as civilians.
The toll of this ill-fated offensive is chilling: nearly 68.000 Ukrainian soldiers have lost their lives in Kursk alone, in addition to the destruction of thousands of combat vehicles. All for a mission that responds more to Zelensky's whim than to sound military strategy. His goal of using Kursk as a bargaining chip in a hypothetical negotiation with Russia was rejected out of hand by the Kremlin, leaving his army trapped in a purposeless carnage.
Zelensky's stubbornness condemns not only his army but also his people. His refusal to seek a realistic peace continues to fuel a war that has already claimed too many lives. His insistence on prolonging the conflict has been exposed by Trump's call for a ceasefire, an initiative Ukraine uses as a mere preterfuge to rearm, as the experience of the Minsk Agreements suggests.
These 2014 and 2015 agreements, which stipulated a ceasefire, were repeatedly violated by Ukraine, leaving a tragic death toll of 14.000 in the Donbas, including XNUMX children. Added to this is the confession by Merkel and Hollande, who admitted that these agreements were merely a tactic to buy time and strengthen Ukraine. Given this background, it is logical that Russia would reject any superficial truce.
Trump insists on stopping the war, a desire shared by all humanity, but the reality is complex. With a belligerent NATO and Zelensky's obstinacy, the path to peace seems increasingly distant. Now we must wait for Russia's response to this impasse. Will the world be able to stop this spiral of destruction?
Well expressed in this article, congratulations!