Opinion: Why Putin wants a ‘forever war’
In an opinion piece, Mark Galeotti discusses why Russian President Vladimir Putin may see the conflict in Ukraine as a "forever war."
While Westerners view a "forever war" as a negative outcome, Putin likely sees it as a goal.
Putin recently made September 30 an official holiday, marking the one-year anniversary of the annexation of Ukraine's regions.
Putin sees the conflict with Ukraine as a global struggle with the West, in which Ukraine is just one battlefield.
Putin believes that Russia is locked in an existential struggle with a hostile West, with no end in sight.
The "forever war" becomes the organizing principle of "late Putinism," justifying the tightening grip of repression and increased military expenditure.
The idea of a "forever war" is demoralizing to Putin's enemies, making it difficult to imagine a lasting peace.
While no war lasts forever, peace is still far from being achieved in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
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