We need a tougher stance against Russia

As I discussed earlier, the North Korean army is now fighting alongside Russia against Ukraine. This unsettling development is partly the result of the West’s weak and indecisive response to Putin's aggression. Time and time again, we wait for him to push further, only to react halfway.

Putin only understands strength. With every escalation, if our only answer is to "deplore" the situation without taking exemplary action, he will continue undeterred. He has no choice—his country is on the verge of collapse if he doesn't secure a quick victory.

We should have openly and clearly threatened Russia with nuclear strikes long ago if Putin persisted in his brutal onslaught. He knows he would lose everything. If faced with true consequences, he might instead target other nations less prepared for war.

But we seem to have forgotten a fundamental truth from history: si vis pacem, para bellum—if you want peace, prepare for war. Right now, we are preparing for peace, not for war. In Europe, our armed forces are technologically advanced, and our soldiers are exceptional, but we have about a third of the numbers we would need in the face of high-intensity and long-term conflict.

We simply aren't ready for the kind of prolonged and intense warfare that Russia is prepared to wage.

The West lives in an artificial bubble of peace. The ordinary citizen is in total denial that war is a reality and that the only way to live in peace is to be prepared for war. As I wrote in early 2022, a month before the invasion of Ukraine, when I said there was a 65% chance that Putin would strike, it’s time we start asking ourselves not just what we want to live for but what we are willing to sacrifice our lives for.

In other words, it’s only when the majority of Westerners have clear ideas about what they truly want to defend, to the point of being willing to die for it, that no one will dare take it from them. Rarely do aggressors persist after hearing, "If you touch my daughter, I will kill you," because they know the resolve is real. On the other hand, few back off when they hear, "Please don’t touch my daughter," because it’s clear there’s no real power behind the plea.

This is why I believe the West needs to openly and unambiguously threaten nuclear retaliation if Putin persists. We must be ready to accept the risk of enemy nuclear fire in return. Paradoxically, this is the most rational way to handle this aggression. It’s like sending in special forces to deal with terrorists who are threatening to blow everything up—there is always a risk of casualties, but action must be taken.

Moreover, it’s time we start using the right terminology to end any misunderstandings, as I wrote in a previous piece:

• Russia is a terrorist organization, not a country.
• It is at war with the entire West, not just Ukraine.
• It is a colonial empire where 80% of its population is subjugated.
• China is Russia’s ally.
• Russia and China are our enemies.

It’s time to face the truth: without a tougher stance, we will continue to be on the defensive. And if we continue to defend rather than act, we risk losing everything we stand for.