The former Chief of the General Staff of the British Armed Forces, Patrick Sanders, stated in an interview with The Times that any negotiations with Russia to end the war could only provide a temporary respite. According to him, the West must provide Ukraine with “decisive” weapons without fearing the Kremlin’s reaction, as the prolonged delay in delivering long-range weapons was a mistake.
“At this point, we must ensure that Ukraine can win. This is not just about survival on the battlefield—it is about creating unacceptable threats for Russia that will force Putin to reconsider his actions,” he emphasized.
Sanders notes that the West was overly concerned about Russia’s potential reaction and overestimated its ability to respond to “red lines.” Ukraine’s allies could have provided decisive support from the very beginning of the full-scale invasion but overestimated Russia’s possible response to Western aid.
“However, when the ‘red lines’ proclaimed by the Russians were crossed, they did nothing,” the British general stressed.
The general also emphasized that the war initiated by Putin has an “almost racial” nature. It is absolutely unacceptable to allow Putin to seize Ukraine, as this would not only be a capitulation of Kyiv but also of the entire Euro-Atlantic space, undermining global security.
