The “wish list” for peace in the war between Russia and Ukraine has been revealed. The US is hardly the first.

Last week, a 28-point “peace plan” for the conflict between Russia and Ukraine was published. It was obviously beefed up in Miami Cocktails by President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, Trump’s special representative Steve Vetkov and Vetkov’s Russian counterpart Kirill Dmitriev.

Many critics immediately dismissed it as “Russia’s wish list”.

This was before we found out that the version that was leaked – probably by Dmitriyev – was actually there Poorly translated In a closed-door meeting with senators from Russia, Secretary of State Marco Rubio even described It is intended as a “wish list for the Russians” and “is not an administration plan.” Rubio is on his way to Geneva for peace talks confused Because he never said it.

But all this is now hidden in plain sight. What seems to have happened, amid all the confusion, is that Rubio took the Ukraine portfolio away from Vetkov. On Tuesday, Rubio revealed that there is a whole new plan, however.

This is good news, because the original plan was not in America’s favor.

I believe that America’s foreign policy should put America first. But I don’t subscribe to the “America First” foreign policy, because that’s a label that can do whatever Trump wants, whether it’s in his personal or the country’s interest.

People who espouse the “America First” slogan generally believe that helping Ukraine is not in America’s interest. I think they are wrong.

Because Vladimir Putin’s Russia is America’s enemy.

It’s not nearly as controversial as you might think if you only get foreign policy analysis from MAGA influencers on social media. Russia itself is allied with us Opponentsin China, America and the Middle East. This policy is deeply rooted in Russian history and President Putin’s memory of Russia’s “greatness.” But if that’s the case, there’s an idea behind it, too Primakov theorywhich is of the opinion that Russia should do everything to limit and protect the US and NATO.

Russia has been Joking about In the domestic affairs of the United States and its allies near a Century. In recent years, it has been alleged that the power grid has been tampered with. the election and Cyber ​​systems. It’s psychological funding campaigns — use useful fool Infiltrators And willing volunteers – to the pump Racism, anti-Semitism and malicious conspiracy in domestic politics here and abroad. “The Russian Federation is the most important and direct threat to the security of the Allies and to the peace and stability of the Euro-Atlantic region.” According to NATO.

If you are too idealistic, Russia There is also a murderous authoritarian regime that oppresses its own people and visits its neighbors with war crimes.

In short: they are bad boys.

There is therefore a compelling moral argument for helping Ukraine resist an illegal and brutal invasion that has claimed perhaps a million lives and resulted in the brainwashing of tens of thousands of Ukrainian children. Our national pride is also on the line, given that the US persuaded Ukraine to give up its nuclear weapons in exchange for “security guarantees” in the 1994 Budapest Memorandum. Legally, warranties are not “guarantees”, but they are also nothing.

Leave morality and national pride aside. A cold-eyed, America-first strategist might argue that killing Ukrainian soldiers — and civilians — is in our best interest if it comes at the cost of bleeding Russia’s military, economy, and international prestige.

No, we should not send American troops to fight Russia. This is the starman raised by the opposition to help Ukraine. But the weapons? Intelligence? why not? Most of NATO’s weapons are designed to fight Russia. If Ukraine can pull this off, it’s the best of both worlds. This means that we can sell most of these weapons, either to Ukraine or to our European allies, who then ship them.

And it’s done. Russia does not have the bandwidth to save its puppet regime in Syria. It could not be done to save Iran, Hamas or Hezbollah. Russian Economy a ConfusionDespite near double digit inflation and very high interest rates.

And yet, this will be the original “peace treaty”. rescue Russia, its territory – including all of the Donbas region – that it did not win militarily. It would provide sanctions relief to Russia, invite it back to the G8 and freeze Ukraine militarily and politically. It describes the US as a “mediator” between Russia and NATO, despite the fact that NATO was created and led by the US. There is no other strategic goal for Russia than to divide the US from its NATO allies. All this in return for the “expectation” that Russia will not attack Ukraine again later.

Let’s hope Rubio does a little more in favor of America and less in favor of Russia.

X: @JonahDispatch