Amanpour Is US Prioritizing Business Over Peace?
Dec 2, 2025
Andrey Kurkov, a Ukrainian novelist known for chronicling life in a war-torn Ukraine, shares harrowing stories of survival amidst constant bombing and cultural destruction. He reflects on the displaced population and the fight for identity. Brian Muehlberger, whose daughter was a victim of a school shooting, discusses the emotional weight of preserving memories in her bedroom and the power of storytelling in healing. Mahnaz Afkhami, a pioneering Iranian women's rights activist, spotlighted the struggles women faced after the 1979 Revolution and the importance of grassroots activism for change.
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Impossible Maximalist Demands
- Yaroslav Trofimov says Russia's war aims amount to demands of a vanquished enemy and are therefore hard to reconcile with Ukrainian sovereignty.
- He warns that a rushed peace favoring Russia risks enabling rearmament and future invasions.
European Fears And Putin's Confidence
- Trofimov observes Putin still seeks total victory and views U.S. diplomatic pressure on Kyiv as aiding that aim.
- Europeans fear a rushed deal would let Russia rearm and threaten NATO neighbors, eroding trust in U.S. commitments.
Business Over Peace Narrative
- Trofimov explains the U.S. proposal emphasizes postwar business deals, which appeal to U.S. insiders more than to Russia.
- He highlights Kirill Dmitriev's financier profile as evidence business language drives negotiations.
