Claim that we still would have the option, if we were willing to offer EU citizenship, of getting Russian soldiers to defect en masse.
There is a program like that for Ukrainian citizenship and bonus money for defectors.
As for EU citizenship—maybe grant these to Ukrainians first? People actually defending their country? Instead of offering them to their killers. It’s incredibly corrupt incentive. “Next time, if you want a EU citizenship, just invade your neighbor, kill a bunch of people and defect before dying”
I don’t think anyone is proposing to offer this deal to Putin; it’s not like the rank and file soldiers are able to make the “invade your neighbor” decision in a bid to get EU citizenship.
Incentives for “doing the right thing from the start” should be better than for just “stopping doing the wrong thing”. I can probably see citizenship as an ok option for those Russians who join the fight from Ukrainian side (e.g. “Freedom of Russia Legion”), because they did both. But simply for stopping being murderer? No.
There is a program like that for Ukrainian citizenship and bonus money for defectors. As for EU citizenship—maybe grant these to Ukrainians first? People actually defending their country? Instead of offering them to their killers. It’s incredibly corrupt incentive. “Next time, if you want a EU citizenship, just invade your neighbor, kill a bunch of people and defect before dying”
I don’t think anyone is proposing to offer this deal to Putin; it’s not like the rank and file soldiers are able to make the “invade your neighbor” decision in a bid to get EU citizenship.
That’s not really the point?
Incentives for “doing the right thing from the start” should be better than for just “stopping doing the wrong thing”. I can probably see citizenship as an ok option for those Russians who join the fight from Ukrainian side (e.g. “Freedom of Russia Legion”), because they did both. But simply for stopping being murderer? No.