I believe Putin does not wish to find a diplomatic end to the war of conquest that he is murderously waging against Ukraine.

The ferocious demeanor manifested in the attack, which is now increasingly directed against civilians and residential areas,

suggests the Russian dictator will stop at nothing to submit the Ukrainian nation. He is behaving akin to a rabid predator.

Putin is perilously pushing his own people backwards to an economic abyss and miserably standard of living. He is ignoring or denying all the consequences of poverty and lack of freedom necessary for seeking change and social justice. A seemingly unimpressed, unmoved pariah, he faces the world, defiantly, while threatening to unleash a nuclear and perhaps assured mutually destructive outcome. He demonstrates an obsession and warped, pathological cognitive pattern that seems ominous of his ambition to restaure and perhaps expand the former empire of the Soviet Union.

Putin will not retreat until the elimination of Ukraine’s sovereignty becomes a tragic reality.

One wishes to be utterly wrong predicting the diabolical success of Putin’s armies slowly, viciously destruction of a democratic neighbor. The Ukrainians who state the belief they will stop the Russian advance manifest a confidence that may be the emotional result of their love of country and the wish to prevail. Their heroic and undeniably competent military leaders perhaps are more reality oriented and thus aware of their inspiring objective. They know their stiff resistance is exacting from the invaders the formidable price of bleeding Russia and the Putin autocratic regime to irrelevance in the World in terms of the former and probable death of the latter.

The outcome of this conflict, however, does not have to be Russia’s expectations. There is more the free nations of the world, particularly the United States and Europe can do to thwart Putin’s aim. In addition to humanitarian assistance and defensive weapons, there are ways and covert help to deny Russia’s aircraft the domination of Ukraine’s skies, while stoping and burn menacing convoys like the one inviting annihilation at the approach to Kyiv.

As the charismatic and courageous president of Ukraine

is reported to have stated, the overcautious response of NATO countries have shown may be misinterpreted in Moscow. Success in his criminal endeavors have embolden Putin to take a further step, convinced of his immunity and the West’s paralysis as he waves his huge nuclear arsenal.

The half hearted, limited international reaction to Putin is allowing Russia’s aggression in return for the oil and gas that contributes to the stabilization of the world market. Tragically, we are not willing to give up a significant part of our comfort to ensure the security of the World.

Short of overt boots on the ground, more can be done for all of us are being diminished in our humaneness and moral integrity by the sacrificial assassination of the brave Ukrainian national.