America’s chief executive has once again demonstrated his knack for turning global conflict into high-profile diplomacy. After orchestrating two attention-grabbing gatherings—one in Alaska with Russia’s president and another in Washington with Ukraine’s president—the time for painstaking negotiations has begun. Instead of waiting for armies of staff to grind away the details first, the president dragged world leaders together and told them to talk peace. Many in the international community have squealed that he’s “going too fast” and “bypassing normal channels.” But do those critics understand that the old channels got us nowhere? The constant stalemate on the battlefield might not be pretty, but it’s exactly why we need a forceful American leader willing to break old rules and make new ones.

Right now, Ukraine faces punishing assaults from Russian forces, and we see no sign the Kremlin intends to back off unless their demands are taken seriously. Diplomats from Washington to London are scrambling to craft real security guarantees for Ukraine that won’t drag the United States into another endless ground war. In a brilliant move, the president has declared that no American boots will meet Ukrainian soil, but he is open to supporting Europe if they station troops or supply weapons themselves. Critics squeal that’s not enough, but guess what: Europe has armies too. Why should young Americans risk their lives if this region refuses to defend itself?

It’s no secret that the White House is putting Secretary Marco Rubio in the hot seat to nail down specific security clauses. He’s expected to meet with top officials from Europe and Ukraine to figure out how the West can keep its commitments but also make sure the American taxpayer isn’t endlessly bankrolling another conflict. Unlike previous administrations, which seemed content to write blank checks, this team is asking: “Where’s the accountability?”

Some observers complain that Russia won’t accept any arrangement that doesn’t give them a free hand in Ukraine. Yet, paraphrasing the president’s own words, we don’t have to satisfy every Russian demand if we can shape a deal that puts an end to the bloodshed. We’re told Russia launched drone attacks and continues hitting Ukraine’s infrastructure under the assumption that no real consequences are coming—until now. The president warns that if Russia tries to string everyone along, the United States and its European allies will be ready to respond with air power to protect our interests. That’s not a promise of open-ended war—just a reminder we’re not a paper tiger.

Europe’s leaders seem to recognize that the old approach of tiptoeing around Russian aggression hasn’t worked well. Now they’re asked to propose serious assistance to Ukraine, from providing intelligence to possibly committing their own ground forces, if that’s what they choose. For years, these allies have huddled under our protective military umbrella, rarely paying their fair share. This time, the White House is signaling: if you want Ukraine safe, you need to get serious.

As for Ukraine, President Zelensky might not like that he’s expected to come to the table while his country is still under fire. Yet, even he must see that an unending war is not sustainable. The president of the United States says Ukraine cannot remain a perpetual battlefield. And if part of that solution involves renegotiated territorial lines or international monitors, so be it.

Rather than seeing these summits as failed spectacles, it’s far wiser to see them as part of a strategy: show the world the administration is serious about forging an agreement, and let the rest of the global community know that if Russia keeps pounding Ukraine to dust, there will be consequences. Getting that message across takes more courage than the blame-obsessed naysayers give this administration credit for. It might not look like conventional diplomacy, but what good has conventional diplomacy done so far?

Topics: ["Russia-Ukraine War"]