Anti-war is to do everything to stop the war specifically diplomacy and talking to the enemy. Making deals, even if the enemy is an absolute psychopath.
There isn't a war, according to one of the combatants, so "ending the war" is a too vague. What does "end the war" mean when one of the combatants claims that there is no war? I think it's better to discuss how to end one the nasty results, and I chose the deportations of children. Not for any particular reason, just because it's of the concrete things we all want to stop.
The Russians have deported a staggering number of children (almost as many children as live in Berlin), both from areas near the frontline and areas far from it. Could you describe what the west might to do to stop those deportations? Something more effective than delivering weapons?
Or are you suggesting that we should just allow Russia to invade other countries with impunity and give it parts of Ukraine as a ransom? We've already done that the previous time, we know how it ended: in Russia invading again.
Sadly the situation is not simple nor is is black and white. This isn't some small state that invaded another one that can be forced to do something it doesn't want to.
It would be like arming the Iraqis and sanctioning the US to get them to leave. The only way the US would leave is when they want to, no matter what anyone else says and it's very similar with Russia. A large majority of Russians justify this invasion just as the US population supported the troops at all cost. The Russians are feed lies in their media and the US had embedded journalists white washing the horrors of war. There was even a period in the US where the media was forbidden from showing returning cofins of dead US soilders. [1]
Thinking this can be resolved by more sanctions and endless weapons is a fools aron and won't ever end this until either Putin retires or dies from old age. That can be another 20 years and even then it is a big if because his successor may continue with the conflict.
[1] https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=100597...
What worries me more is what happens next. Crumbling Russia will become an useful asset to China; they will probably try to balance that with India - otherwise USA will make sure they cease to be useful as an asset.
And yes, I can easily see Russia paying out reparations in, say, electricity, over the next couple of decides. They are good at building nuclear power plants, and have a lot of land to place them.
Yes. One way or another, Russia will pay. If only through discounted gas or indirectly after becoming China's puppet.
