Between her and the old Ukrainian woman with the sunflower seeds, it’s the civilian women in both countries who are going to make the difference. Make no mistake, the cultures of both nations are male-dominated, but — and I say this from knowing several women from both countries — if the women of those cultures feel slighted, or if their children keep being needlessly put in harm’s way, or if the economy reverts to Soviet era levels of poverty, the women will put an end to the war, and the men — including Putin — won’t get a vote in the matter.
I recommend the two episodes (so far) about Ukraine on the “We Have Ways Of Making You Talk” podcast. The series focuses on WWII stories, but they devote a lot considerable time drawing parallels between present day Ukraine and the Ukraine of yesteryear. They dig very deep, and there’s a lot of the history I need more context to understand, but it is entertaining and informative.
Kevin M. (RPCV)