Donald Trump, who previously did not understand the word “root causes” and dismissed it as empty noise, finally saw it in writing. Perhaps this was why Putin went to Alaska — to underline this word and stress that, according to the Kremlin, it holds the key to ending the war."This is why statements about “armistice” and “ceasefire,” which were central just a week ago, have now disappeared. Americans insist that what is needed is peace, not an armistice, meaning a formal peace treaty acceptable to the Kremlin."It is worth noting that since World War II, there are practically no successful examples of peace treaties. Aside from the Israel-Egypt agreement that ended the Yom Kippur War, few are remembered. By contrast, wars such as the Korean conflict, the Vietnam War, multiple Arab-Israeli conflicts, and the Nagorno-Karabakh war ended with temporary ceasefires. There were plans for formal treaties, but these politically complex processes often dragged on for years.In other words, if Ukraine is forced into peace treaty negotiations, the process could last decades.Meanwhile, it is clear that the “root causes” in Putin’s view are not about ownership of Chasiv Yar, but about a “fair and stable balance of European security,” which includes Ukraine.Putin’s “new security architecture” covers a wide range of issues: from the presence of U.S. troops in Estonia to missile defense systems in Poland, and NATO membership for countries accepted after 1997. The Kremlin will try to push all these demands into a peace deal alongside concessions over Kramatorsk and the de-occupation of Vovchansk.In practice, peace in Ukraine under these conditions depends on how Western countries — from the U.S. to Latvia — respond to Russia’s next demands. Hypothetical Russian control of Ukrainian cities in the Donbas would not eliminate the so-called “root causes.”Even the removal of a Russian monument in the Czech Republic could provoke a new invasion. No Russian laws prohibiting aggressive war would prevent this, including Article 353 of the Criminal Code: “Planning, preparing, initiating or waging aggressive war.” Russia calls its actions a “special military operation,” making law changes unnecessary.SourceAbout the author: Mykola Kniazhytskyi, journalist, Member of the Ukrainian Parliament.The editorial team does not necessarily share the opinions expressed by authors of blogs or columns.