Blackmail in the Name of “Peace” Is Still Blackmail—and It’s a Dangerous Precedent

Vladimir Putin is wielding one of the oldest weapons in the autocrat’s playbook: blackmail. By escalating his brutal invasion of Ukraine, threatening more destruction, and using energy supplies as leverage, Putin aims to force Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky into surrendering all or part of Ukraine to Russian control. His goal is clear—to achieve through coercion what he cannot fully accomplish on the battlefield.

But what happens when would-be peacemakers employ a similar tactic? If the United States or its allies pressure Ukraine to accept a peace deal by threatening to withhold the weapons and ammunition Ukraine needs to defend itself, isn’t that just another form of blackmail? Blackmail in the name of “peace” may sound more palatable, but the result is the same: rewarding aggression and punishing the victim.

The Dangerous Lesson of Blackmail

If Russia’s aggression is met with either appeasement or enforced compromise, the lesson for autocratic regimes around the world—like China, North Korea, and Iran—is crystal clear: Military conquest works, even if it only partially achieves your goal.

These regimes do not value human life as democratic societies do. They suppress dissent, imprison their opponents, and send people to their deaths without hesitation. For leaders like Putin, Xi Jinping, Kim Jong-un, and Iran’s mullahs, the cost of aggression is measured not in human suffering but in whether or not their objectives are met.

Appeasement, concessions, or forced peace agreements simply validate their methods. When aggression yields tangible rewards—whether it’s territory, resources, or weakened adversaries—it only emboldens them to continue.

Why Defeat, Not Compromise, Is the Only Deterrent

History has shown us time and again that appeasement doesn’t work. Autocrats are not deterred by concessions; they are emboldened by them. The only way to deter aggression is by ensuring that it fails—completely and unequivocally.

For Russia, that means Putin must fail to achieve any of his objectives in Ukraine. Ukraine cannot be forced to cede its territory, its sovereignty, or its freedom. Anything less than a total failure for Putin will signal to other aggressive regimes that the cost of invasion is worth paying.

When aggressors fail decisively on the battlefield, they lose not only their objectives but also their support at home. Putin’s power, like that of all autocrats, depends on maintaining the illusion of strength and success. If his invasion of Ukraine results in humiliation rather than glory, it could destabilize his grip on power and deter others from following in his footsteps.

The Responsibility of Democracies

As the leader of the free world, the United States has a special responsibility to stand against aggression—not just in words, but in action. Forcing Ukraine into a "peace deal" by withholding the weapons it needs to defend itself isn’t just morally wrong—it’s strategically disastrous.

It sends a message to Russia and every other autocratic regime that military conquest pays off, even if it’s incomplete. Worse, it undermines the trust of democratic allies who rely on the U.S. to stand firm in the face of aggression.

Supporting Ukraine doesn’t mean sending American troops into the fight. It means ensuring that Ukraine has the weapons, ammunition, and resources it needs to defend itself and push Russia back behind its borders. It means standing unequivocally against blackmail—whether it comes from Putin or from within our own ranks in the name of “peace.”

A Call to Action

This is not just about Ukraine. It’s about setting a precedent for how the world deals with aggression in the 21st century. If we allow blackmail to succeed—whether from aggressors or would-be peacemakers—we’re inviting more conflict, more instability, and more suffering.

The only way to stop autocrats like Putin is to ensure they fail. The battlefield is where this lesson must be taught—not at a negotiating table where the victim is forced to give up what is rightfully theirs.

Let’s send a clear message to Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran: Aggression will not be rewarded, and conquest will not pay off. Together, we must support Ukraine in its fight for sovereignty and freedom, not just for their future but for the future of peace and democracy worldwide.