By Patrick Casey

The conflict is a tragedy, but further American involvement would only delay the inevitable.

The deadline for a Ukrainian peace deal draws near. On July 14, President Trump gave Vladimir Putin 50 days to reach an agreement—but just two weeks later, he shortened that timeframe, demanding a ceasefire by August 8. If Moscow fails to make meaningful progress toward peace, the U.S. has said it will retaliate with sanctions on Russia and tariffs on its trade partners.