Regardless of what President Trump or Defense Secretary Hegseth are doing to placate Putin, Ukraine has given Europe the key to Putin’s downfall. If they hesitate, they will be complicit in allowing another dictator to rise. Simply put, Putin is bleeding out—economically and militarily. If Europe doesn’t deliver the death blow, they will fully deserve the consequences.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth recently proved to me that not every decorated soldier is a smart strategist. I used to think he had some sense. But his recent statements about the Ukraine-Russia war revealed otherwise. Hegseth sounded more like a Putin sympathizer in disguise than the U.S. Secretary of Defense. I still cannot wrap my head around how it made any sense to him to stand before our allies and declare it "unrealistic" to force a blood-thirsty war criminal like Vladimir Putin to return Ukrainian territory that he seized by force in 2022 while killing thousands of innocent civilians. As if that wasn’t bad enough, Hegseth went further to tell a coalition of 57 countries, including all 32 NATO members, that NATO membership for Ukraine is not a realistic outcome of any negotiated settlement. It is either Pete Hegseth is too dumb to realize that playing soft with Putin only emboldens his ambitions, or he genuinely believes that a dictator can be trusted. Either way, his statements reek of dangerous naivety.
In spite of Hegseth’s dumb remarks, I blame Europe more. If only Europe had learned its lesson from Hitler’s atrocities, we wouldn’t be here today. After all, history shows us that dictators grow bolder when left unchecked. Europe must stop waiting for the U.S. to do their laundry for them. Yes, America helped in the past, but this time Europe must lead the charge and confront Putin head-on. The opportunity is ripe, and the time to act is now.
Europe has all the resources and alliances it needs to deal with Putin decisively. What they lack is the political will. France, Germany, and other European powers have been too hesitant, relying on diplomatic talks that have yielded nothing but more time for Putin to regroup. Diplomacy has its place, but when dealing with an aggressive dictator who only respects brute force, words won’t cut it. The time for action is here. If Europe continues to waste precious time, they will be caught flat-footed once again. Remember the appeasement policies of the 1930s? They didn’t stop Hitler. They only emboldened him to march across Europe, causing the deadliest conflict in human history.
Thanks to Ukraine’s resilience, Russia is falling apart from within. Russia’s National Wealth Fund is almost drained, with experts predicting that the country will run out of welfare funds within five months. In six months, pensioners won’t be paid. The ruble is losing its value, inflation is sky-high, and sanctions have crippled the country’s ability to do business as usual. Putin’s government has already moved to a war economy that is unsustainable, burning through resources it can no longer replenish. Russia has depleted its reserves of tanks, artillery, and armored personnel carriers. The once-mighty Russian war machine is now a shadow of its former self.
Even more critical is the fact that Russia’s oil industry, the backbone of its economy, is collapsing. Over 50% of its refining capabilities are gone, and the country is now spending more to produce oil than it can sell it for. Russia is facing mounting difficulties transporting its oil to Asian markets due to sanctions and logistical challenges. This economic disaster is entirely self-inflicted, caused by Putin’s reckless decision to invade Ukraine. It’s ironic that the very war Putin started to expand Russia’s power has instead brought his country to its knees.
Meanwhile, the Euro is strong and stable, traded internationally without restrictions. Russia, on the other hand, is teetering on the brink of collapse. Ukraine’s technological innovation is outpacing Russia’s outdated military. With Ukraine’s drone industry now capable of manufacturing over 4 million drones annually, Russia’s remaining oil and gas infrastructure is a prime target. Ukraine is preparing to burn it all to the ground, forcing Russia into bankruptcy if Europe provides support.
Ukraine is not waiting for permission to defend its sovereignty. The nation is showing the world what true resilience and courage look like. Despite being outgunned and outnumbered at the start of the war, Ukraine has adapted, innovated, and fought back with relentless determination. Every Russian advance has been met with fierce resistance. Every Russian setback has been exploited. This is a nation that refuses to bow down to tyranny.
Putin’s regime is wobbling, and his recent failures have left him with few options. He bet everything on a quick victory in Ukraine, but his gamble failed spectacularly. Now he’s stuck in a drawn-out conflict with no clear way out. His military losses are staggering—over 1,400 tanks destroyed and nearly 800,000 casualties on the battlefield. Every day, his army grows weaker, while Ukraine gets stronger and more determined. Europe cannot afford to let this moment pass.
It doesn’t matter what President Trump, Putin, or Secretary Hegseth think about the situation. Europe must act now and act fast. This is not the time for diplomatic dithering or wishful thinking. Ukraine is leading the charge, showing incredible courage and innovation in the face of Russian aggression. Europe must match that courage and strike while the iron is hot. Waiting any longer would be a betrayal—not just to Ukraine but to the ideals of freedom and democracy that Europe claims to hold dear.
If Europe fails to act now, they’ll regret it forever. Dictators like Putin don’t just go away; they only grow more dangerous. Europe cannot afford to sit back and wait for America to save the day again. The time to confront Putin is now, while he’s weak and vulnerable. Putin the failure is almost finished. Europe must deliver the final blow before he finds a way to regroup.
Putin’s collapse is not a question of if but when. History will judge Europe harshly if they stand by and watch this moment slip through their fingers. Ukraine has already laid the groundwork for victory. What Europe needs to do now is follow through with decisive action. There are no more excuses. The blueprint for taking down a dictator is right in front of them. All they need is the will to act. When it’s all over, Europe will either stand tall as victors or be left scrambling to explain why they let history repeat itself—again.
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