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    The timing on this column is a bit awkward as it’s Monday morning. This past Friday, President Trump of the United States met with President Putin of Russia.

    Prior to the meeting, and on several occasions, Trump boasted that he would end the Russia-Ukraine war in short order. That didn’t happen, obviously, and it didn’t happen last Friday.

    I believe that Putin has played Trump like a cheap violin. Putin praises Trump, and Trump, being who he is, soaks it up like a petunia in the sunshine.

    Putin and Russia have no intention of ending the Ukraine War until they get the last drop of Ukrainian blood on the ground and have possession of most, or all of Ukraine. The area has been fought over for centuries and it seems there have been few productive lessons learned from history. I believe Putin is upset about Ukraine wanting to join NATO. That could well be, but if Putin, along with former and future Russian leaders, would take a breath and figure out the costs of their misplaced ambitions, Russia could be the power they once thought they were.

    If one looks at an interactive historical map of Europe, borders have changed hundreds of times in the last 1000 years. Tyrants, dictators and overly zealous emperors have moved the borders over and over again. That’s all Putin is doing. He has the energy, the powe, and the forces to do as he pleases. Well, he did until he invaded Ukraine in what was supposed to be a very brief war. He miscalculated. Heavy tanks and equipment can’t always cross farm fields easily. Roads clog up and weather delays travel. Russia’s poorly trained troops and poorly maintained equipment bogged them down literally.

    So, in spite of early failures, Putin and his headstrong military doubled down and tried a war of attrition. They forgot how hard invaded people can fight back on their home turf. Sabotage, human sacrifice, and devious defence mechanisms can bring about heavy losses, and that has proven to be the case in this war. If military and political leaders would study history and actually learn from it, park their egos, and think, they would come to a better conclusion.

    When Russia invaded Ukraine, other countries should have rallied to the cause and given Putin a two word message, “Go Home!”

    But, they didn’t. Like most historical leaders, they tried to cajole and appease. They supplied munitions to the Ukraine and the war has dragged out with poor results and costs that the rest of us will be paying for. It’s very annoying.

    Now, with Trump following after Putin like a willing retriever dog, Putin will get what he wants, at least for now. If Putin lives a few more years, he will want more.

    How do we know that?

    Just look at WWII Germany as Hitler nibbled away at his European neighbours until the whole world was sucked into a war. The answer that should have been given to Putin, that is “Go Home!”, should have been given to Hitler on Day 1 of his first invasion. Had European countries, and especially France, stood up to Hitler, there would have not been a WWII.

    But here we are today in a bloody mess with no end in sight.

    By the time you read this column, there may be some kind of Russia Ukraine truce, but I doubt it will last.

    What should happen is that all countries should hunker in and build their economy by means of internal and external trade. There are billions of people to feed, clothe, and equip for what could be a bright future for all if the efforts and money put into war would be geared to peaceful commerce, trade, culture, and yes, feeding everyone.

    Putin and Trump are theoretically smart men, but they are not using their power properly. I will give Trump credit for aiming for peace, but he needs to stand up to Putin and say “Go Home!” and when that happens the world can perhaps stop the absolute futility of war and live in the security that God has set us up to achieve. When there is peace, there is prosperity. When war strikes, famine follows closely behind.

    Ironically, Putin doesn’t need to be a war monger for Russia to prosper and he should know that. I think Trump knows that but has trouble with his ego getting in the way. I guess somehow cutting ribbons for the opening of a flour mill and bread factory doesn’t rank as high as military parades.

    Disclaimer: The views expressed in this column are the writer’s personal views and are not to be taken as being the view of the newspaper staff