March, 2022
Berlin — Although I'm not physically present in Berlin at the moment, my thoughts are there because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Refugees are flooding into the city.
Memories are there, too, such as the time after the Berlin Wall came down and we hosted a young couple from Halle who were eager to travel outside East Germany. Especially poignant is a memory of visiting the Soviet Army officers' club in Wünsdorf, south of Berlin, as soldiers were departing in 1990 to go back to Russia. A few Americans and Germans were invited for lunch; I was among them. We were all hopeful for better relations in the future.
Now we are at an impasse, with no clear path to stop the killing in Ukraine. Here is my suggestion:
If the International Criminal Court, which has already started an investigation, would move against Putin for war crimes, that would put an unexpected factor into the mix. If the West then remains solidly united and demands Putin's ouster as a condition of lifting sanctions, which are hurting Russia badly, it could motivate Russian oligarchs and generals to remove him. With Putin out, a ceasefire could be achieved between Russia and Ukraine, leaving the Ukraine government intact. Sanctions could be lifted. Territorial disputes could be referred to the International Court of Justice.This does not require any UN, NATO, or individual country's action. It limits Putin's nuclear targets because no military actions are involved, against which to retaliate. It would send a strong message to others who might want to start territorial wars, like China.
