More important than the politicians are those in the [neo]imperialist ruling class who profit directly from the war and those who have invested in rebuilding Ukraine post-war.
The military capitalists flourish as the war drags on. They will fight to the last Ukrainian, Russian or anyone else. The investors profit best if the Kiev regime exists when the war ends and if it can keep paying interest on its debt. The investment funds BlackRock and J. P. Morgan have approached these investors and taken their money. They will take what they can from Ukraine as collateral.
While the media reports describe the weapons for Ukraine as “aid,” Kiev must finance the war by incurring foreign debt, which as of the end of 2023 totaled $161.5 billion. There is a lot of money riding on that government continuing to exist and pay its debts.
Since elements of the [neo]imperialist ruling class are guided by these irrational drives for profit, there is no way to appeal to their reason. Everyone else, however, must take seriously the [neo]imperialist politicians’ reckless calls to put NATO troops on the ground or to fire rockets on Russian cities. The Russian government has said it takes them seriously and will counter them.
Those who oppose imperialism must mobilize to stop the war in Ukraine from escalating. No other steps can stop it.