We can start with all of their frozen assets abroad and see how much is left on the bill. Then we can transfer all of Ukraine’s debts that they’ve incurred throughout the war and hold the kremlin liable for paying for them. I suppose we can include on that tab whatever costs related to reconstruction are left over after using those frozen assets.
How countries are going to collect that debt from russia is anybody’s guess, but no sanctions should be lifted until they’re paid in full (only after reconstruction in Ukraine is finished, of course).
As for returning abducted people, yes, absolutely that should unconditionally be a part of the agreement. But getting russia to agree to that will be tricky. So you’re right, they don’t get to just back out and piss off back behind their borders without settling a few accounts.
But,
Letting them off the hook this easy sends the message that anyone can invade random countries and in the worst case just doesn’t conquer any land.
That’s… already happened. See Israel in Palestine; the US in Iran, Venezuela. The precedent has already been set. We’ve already shown chauvinist dictators what they can get away with.
The only way to undo that is to hold all three of them accountable. Which is honestly not likely without triggering a nuclear holocaust; at least until major internal changes of administration when it’ll all be swept under the rug anyway. The best we can hope for is for the individuals responsible to be held accountable. Heads of state as well as all their cronies.
We can start with all of their frozen assets abroad and see how much is left on the bill. Then we can transfer all of Ukraine’s debts that they’ve incurred throughout the war and hold the kremlin liable for paying for them. I suppose we can include on that tab whatever costs related to reconstruction are left over after using those frozen assets.
How countries are going to collect that debt from russia is anybody’s guess, but no sanctions should be lifted until they’re paid in full (only after reconstruction in Ukraine is finished, of course).
As for returning abducted people, yes, absolutely that should unconditionally be a part of the agreement. But getting russia to agree to that will be tricky. So you’re right, they don’t get to just back out and piss off back behind their borders without settling a few accounts.
But,
That’s… already happened. See Israel in Palestine; the US in Iran, Venezuela. The precedent has already been set. We’ve already shown chauvinist dictators what they can get away with.
The only way to undo that is to hold all three of them accountable. Which is honestly not likely without triggering a nuclear holocaust; at least until major internal changes of administration when it’ll all be swept under the rug anyway. The best we can hope for is for the individuals responsible to be held accountable. Heads of state as well as all their cronies.