There is a Path to Victory in Ukraine
Foreign AffairsJUL 2023
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
That the former local lawmaker and mother of three dares to run as an independent candidate against Kremlin ruler Putin is a sign of hope for Russia. It is outrageous to call Duntsova a Kremlin tool just because she's running as an independent candidate and is not part of the political establishment. With her call for peace in Ukraine and for a democratic and peaceful Russia, she represents the hopes of many Russians and the West. Even if her chances of winning are bleak, she at least reassures ordinary Rus
Establishment-critical narrative
The Western press applauds Duntsova, just as it celebrates every candidate, no matter how insignificant, who aims to remove Putin as president. Calling for peace in Ukraine and criticizing the Kremlin reveals her naivety, for it wasn't Moscow that laid the groundwork for the conflict. There's still only one guarantor of a sovereign and prosperous Russia, and that is Vladimir Putin. The Russians are well aware of this, as evidenced by his high poll ratings. The fact that Duntsova intends to run is important