In response to a recent letter (“Diplomacy is the only option in Ukraine,” April 26), I would like to put things into historical perspective. You cannot negotiate with a war criminal, you cannot negotiate with a tyrant bent on annexing parts or all of its neighbors and, lastly, you cannot negotiate with a despot who jails his opponents or poisons them.

One need not look back far in history to learn these hard lessons.

Negotiation has its time and place and this isn’t it. The American Civil War had a period of stalemate, World War I was a stalemate for three years and World War II was a stalemate in Europe until we became involved. Had we not persevered and refused to negotiate our world today would be a much different and darker place, ruled by dictators and tyrants like Vladimir Putin.

To quote Winston Churchill: “You cannot reason with a tiger when your head is in its mouth.” I, for one, am proud that we stand on the side of freedom and justice for Ukraine.

Randy Wakefield
Portland