The gathering in Washington is effectively a referendum on the policy of appeasement, and Europe’s leaders are voting with a resounding “No.” Their united mission to support Volodymyr Zelenskyy is a firm rejection of any peace plan that involves placating an aggressor by sacrificing another nation’s territory.
This “bodyguard” mission is a powerful historical statement. Drawing on the lessons of the 20th century, the European allies are determined not to repeat the mistakes of the past. They see Donald Trump’s rumored plan to have Ukraine cede land as a modern form of the appeasement that proved disastrous before.
The case against appeasement will be made forcefully. French President Emmanuel Macron will argue that Vladimir Putin has no genuine desire for peace and that concessions will only embolden him. Finland’s President Alexander Stubb will use his country’s own history with Soviet aggression as a cautionary tale.
By standing together in the Oval Office, the leaders are casting a collective vote against a policy they believe is not only morally wrong but strategically catastrophic. Their message is that true peace is achieved through strength and principle, not by feeding the crocodile in the hope it will eat you last.
