I’ll always remember the expertise of talking with you, the President of the USA, and can all the time keep in mind what it was like sitting throughout from you within the Oval Workplace – essentially the most highly effective chief on this planet (and a fellow New Yorker). Most CIA Officers by no means get the chance to spend time within the White Home briefing the Company’s primary “client” and I used to be deeply grateful for the chance.
There have been many moments that struck me as vital throughout our assembly that I’ll always remember. Whereas discussing one thing – that I cannot talk about publicly – associated to Russian President Vladimir Putin, I advised you that I didn’t agree with a degree you made. As an alternative of getting offended or kicking me out of your workplace, you requested me to clarify why I disagreed and after I did, you thanked me for sharing my insights. Mr. President, given what’s taking place with Russia proper now, I really feel compelled to show to you once more to reinitiate our dialogue.
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Rather a lot has modified since 2017. Since retiring from the CIA in Might 2023, I’ve traveled to Ukraine a number of instances and have seen firsthand, the horrible influence that Vladimir Putin’s conflict in opposition to Ukraine has had on the Ukrainian individuals. Nearly all of Ukrainians at this time help your need to convey this unprovoked conflict to an finish. However it’s now clear that Putin is stringing the world alongside by claiming he needs to debate “peace” whereas persevering with to wage conflict. It additionally appears clear now that the one strategy to convey an finish to this conflict is to pressure Putin to barter by considerably growing strain on the Kremlin.
Earlier than your re-election in November 2024, many Ukrainians I spoke with expressed the view that solely you would finish the conflict due to the 2 U.S. Presidential candidates, you have been the one Putin feared since you had already demonstrated your willingness to take decisive motion in opposition to the Kremlin. They believed that you simply had each the need and the energy to face as much as Putin and clarify to him that if he continued to pursue his aggression in opposition to Ukraine – killing harmless individuals – he would pay a big value.
I agreed with these Ukrainians and infrequently reminded interlocutors and commentators that in my 34-year profession within the U.S. Authorities, you have been the primary President who I believed was keen to carry the Kremlin accountable when it threatened U.S. and allied pursuits. I argued to audiences within the U.S. that in your first time period within the White Home you took decisive motion in opposition to Russia when crucial. You have been smart sufficient to know when to face as much as Russian threats, reply to Moscow’s aggressive habits and terminate U.S. participation in treaties and agreements that Moscow refused to abide by.
Sadly, Putin has refused to hearken to your appeals to discover a peaceable resolution to finish the combating in Ukraine. Regardless of your repeated efforts to interact, he’s not taking the steps wanted to help the beginning of significant negotiations. The Russian president refused to journey to Istanbul in mid-Might to satisfy with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy regardless of your finest efforts along with the efforts of Turkish President Erdogan. As an alternative, he despatched a low-level delegation to Türkiye, even after you supplied to amend your journey to the area and journey to that nation to help a gathering between the Ukrainian and Russian Presidents. He then expanded his assaults on Ukraine, destroying extra civilian infrastructure and killing harmless individuals.
Putin is making an attempt to persuade you that he’s extra highly effective than he actually is. The Russian financial system is struggling underneath Western sanctions. Russian society is feeling the strains of the conflict, which has price their inhabitants dearly. Whereas it’s true that the Russians might have “a excessive threshold for ache”, they’re nonetheless moms and dads who’re rising uninterested in seeing their kids despatched off to die on the battlefields of Ukraine whereas they face growing hardships at house.
Historical past has proven that the Russian individuals even have a “breaking level” and won’t tolerate incompetent and egocentric leaders without end.
The outcomes of the current “Victory Day” celebrations in Moscow demonstrated how remoted Putin is internationally and his continued insistence on attacking Ukraine and the wakeup name you’ve delivered to our European allies has resulted in even larger decision of the a part of lots of them to face as much as Putin’s aggression.
The Ukrainian individuals need peace however are keen to proceed combating to guard their sovereignty. Putin shouldn’t be ready of energy and is bluffing when he acts as if there will likely be no unfavorable penalties if he doesn’t signal a ceasefire settlement with Kyiv.
As an alternative of respecting your efforts to safe a peaceable settlement to the conflict, Putin is difficult your authority and insulting you every time he launches new assaults on Ukrainian villages and cities. He is not going to cease killing civilians.
It’s insulting to the American individuals each time he launches air strikes in opposition to Kyiv when U.S. officers journey to Ukraine as your representatives or when your Particular Envoy travels to Russia or we host Russian emissaries within the U.S. whereas Moscow continues to kill. Every time Putin permits his Armed Forces to launch assaults, he’s sending the world a message that he doesn’t respect the U.S.
Mr. President, on January 20, you made clear that if Putin didn’t conform to critical negotiations to finish the conflict, you’ll introduce secondary sanctions on the Russian financial system and considerably improve strain on the Kremlin. Putin’s refusal to satisfy in Istanbul and his continued large-scale assaults on Ukraine needs to be seen because the “crimson line” that he has crossed, triggering the decisive and powerful response that the American individuals are hoping to see.
To finish the conflict, it’s time so that you can transfer ahead with the introduction of these sanctions, improve U.S. army help to the Ukrainian Armed Forces and place larger strain on these nations that proceed to commerce with Moscow to finish that commerce till Moscow is able to make peace.
As soon as Putin sees that you’re able to name his bluff, then he’ll begin displaying an actual willingness to make peace and finish this horrible conflict and the individuals round him will notice he’s squandering a chance to cease the conflict and make their nation extra affluent and safe for the longer term.
After our assembly Mr. President, lots of my colleagues and relations requested me what it was like to satisfy with you and the way you handled me throughout our dialogue. I advised them that all through the assembly you have been extraordinarily gracious, requested glorious questions and appeared sincerely focused on listening to my perspective on points I used to be introduced to debate with you. My sense was that you simply appreciated the truth that I had not simply studied Russia academically however had spent a few years working in Russia and dealing instantly with Russians on a variety of points. You took the time to ask me about my earlier assignments and background. I additionally careworn that earlier than I left the Oval Workplace that day, regardless of your very busy schedule, you took the time to ask me to relay your due to my spouse and sons for all of the sacrifices that they had made all through my profession working for the CIA. This final level was extraordinarily necessary for me, as a result of it demonstrated, opposite to the claims of lots of your opponents within the media, that you simply worth those that serve our nation.
Mr. President, you’ve made clear that you really want Putin to cease the killing. Relating to Russia, now could be your time to behave on what you worth most.
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