Dancing with the Devil

Michael Rubin is a brilliant scholar who recently published a most timely book entitled, Dancing with the Devil: The Perils of Engaging Rogue Regimes. It warns that negotiations with those who are hostile to everything we hold dear is not just unproductive; it’s usually counterproductive.

They generally have the effect of legitimating enemies of freedom, buying them the time and latitude to further endanger it – and us.

Dr. Rubin’s warnings come to mind as diplomats from the U.S., European Union and Ukraine sit down with Russia’s foreign minister today in Geneva. This meeting will likely begin a “process” that’s used to justify postponing Western penalties for the Kremlin’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine.

And that, of course, will have the effect of encouraging more Russian aggression, not preventing it.