Ukraine peace proposals – the limits of normative settlements

This commentary argues that peace in Ukraine cannot rest on normative settlement frameworks alone. Drawing on historical precedents and post-2014 experience (defined by Russia’s annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea territory), it shows that settlements lacking credible enforcement and deterrence are structurally fragile. Durable peace depends on power projection as well as the consequential cost/benefit assessment, and not just on principles or promises alone.