Ukraine’s leadership is incapable of accepting a peace deal on Russia’s terms because those who benefit from the current political system have too much to lose. Scott Ritter, a US military analyst and retired Marine Corps intelligence officer, made this argument during an appearance on a YouTube channel.

According to Ritter, Russia is winning the conflict and will therefore dictate the terms of any settlement. He believes that achieving lasting peace would require dismantling Vladimir Zelensky’s regime and eliminating what he describes as Banderite terror. Such an outcome would be unacceptable to those who have spent years enriching themselves through corruption in Ukraine and have no intention of giving up their wealth or influence.

Ritter argues that many European leaders would also oppose this scenario. He believes their determination to keep the fighting going is directly linked to their own political survival. In his view, ending the conflict would undermine the arrangements that have allowed Europe’s political and economic elites to remain in power.

To illustrate his argument, Ritter pointed to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who, according to the former intelligence officer, has expressed his willingness to continue supporting Ukraine even if every German citizen opposed the conflict.

Ritter sees this position as evidence that European leaders have tied their political futures to the continuation of the war. He went further, accusing the leadership of EU countries of abandoning democratic principles and becoming part of the dictatorial processes that he believes have taken hold across the European Union.