Why Peace in Ukraine may Remain Elusive

The recent Alaska talks between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin ended without progress. That outcome should not surprise anyone. Wars rarely end because a third-party mediator walks in and proposes a compromise. They end only when the main fighters themselves decide to negotiate.

India has long taken this position. When Trump once offered to mediate between India and Pakistan after the brutal Pahalgam attack on unarmed Hindu pilgrims by Pakistan-backed terrorists, New Delhi was clear: outsiders can’t solve what doesn’t directly concern them.

Our own epics offer timeless lessons here. Hanuman’s peace mission to Lanka and Krishna’s appeal before the Kurukshetra war were both noble attempts at mediation. Yet both were destined to “fail” because the real issues were never addressed by both parties uniformly. Where the cause of conflict remains untouched, mediation only delays the inevitable.

The Illusion of Peace Mediation

Modern history has often confused symbolic gestures with real progress. Nobel Peace Prizes have been handed out before actual peace was achieved. Some recipients even went on to authorize wars that killed millions, as in Syria and Yemen. We seem to celebrate the theater of peace talks, not the hard reality of whether they resolve conflicts.

What the Ukraine War Is Really About

Most news headlines reduce the conflict to “Russia vs Ukraine.” Some stretch it to “Russia vs the U.S.” Neither is accurate.

At its core, this is a war between NATO and Russia.

Since the early 1990s, NATO has steadily expanded eastward, even though there were understandings at the time that such expansion would stop. For Russia, this is not about a simple land grab. It is about having a security buffer — ensuring that countries on its border do not become staging grounds for NATO militaries.

Ukraine has become the frontline state in this bigger tug-of-war. For NATO, it is a partner to be armed and supported. For Russia, it represents the line that must not be crossed.

Two Points That Really Matter

If peace is ever to be achieved, the world and the parties themselves have to recognize two basic truths:

1. The real conflict is NATO vs Russia.
   A peace plan must involve NATO sitting directly across the table from Russia. Ukraine can’t be treated as the sole counterpart because it is deeply tied to NATO’s strategy and support.
2. The real issue is not land, but security.
   Whether Russia controls this or that territory in Ukraine may shape the headlines, but it will not resolve the deeper problem. The heart of the matter is NATO’s continuous push eastward and Russia’s demand for a neutral buffer. Unless that is addressed, any settlement will be temporary.

The Hard Truth

Unless the conflict is seen through these lenses, peace will remain out of reach. Either the war will drag on until exhaustion forces a military settlement, or it will flare up again later under another excuse.

Our Itihaasa reminds us that peace cannot come from mediation alone. It comes only when the root cause is acknowledged and addressed. For Ukraine, NATO, and Russia, that root cause is clear: expansion versus security. Until the two sides face it head-on, the battlefield itself will remain the real mediator.