Why Putin Will Not End the War in Ukraine
In this analysis published by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, former U.S. congressman Don Ritter argues that Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine is driven not by national interests or NATO expansion, but by the Kremlin’s need to preserve its own power. Citing longtime Russia expert David Satter, Ritter explains that the invasion was intended to suppress internal dissent and legitimize authoritarian control — even at enormous human and economic cost.
The article recounts a pattern of violence and corruption throughout Putin’s career, from alleged false-flag bombings in 1999 to the annexation of Crimea and the current mass casualties in Ukraine. As casualties rise and domestic pressures grow, continuing the war has become a matter of regime survival. Stopping now, Ritter warns, could trigger Putin’s downfall — and possibly his death.
Ritter concludes that only a decisive shift in Western strategy, significantly increasing military and economic support to Ukraine, can alter Putin’s calculations and force an end to the war.
Read the full article here:
https://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/insight/2025/09/28/putin-russia-war-ukraine-don-ritter/stories/202509270003
