Peace versus justice: what a ceasefire should cost in Ukraine and Gaza
September 29, 2026 · 25 min read
Zelenskyy, Douglas Murray, the Israel-Palestine debaters and Omar Suleiman all wrestle with the same trade-off: how much justice can be given up to stop the killing. Comparing their answers clarifies what each side believes a durable peace actually requires.
The rules, numbers and steps worth keeping in front of you.
- Everyone wants the killing to stop. No one thinks a bare ceasefire is enough.
- Zelenskyy: a 2019 ceasefire with Putin broke down within about a month.
- Zelenskyy: no ceasefire without enforceable security guarantees.
- Zelenskyy: pressure Putin to stop. Do not wait for him to want to.
- Zelenskyy accepts delay on land and on punishing Putin, not on security.
- Murray: a rushed peace squeezes the side that is easier to pressure.
- Murray: expects Ukraine to cede land, and sees any ceasefire as a pause.
- Morris and Bonnell: Palestinians should take the deal that power allows.
- Rabbani and Finkelstein: ignoring international law gives the stronger side a veto.
- Suleiman: a ceasefire is the bare minimum. Peace requires justice.
- Suleiman: killing non-combatants is wrong whoever does it.
- Shared lesson: paper promises have failed before.
- Where the story starts decides who looks like the aggressor.
- Figures cited are the speakers' own claims and are disputed.
This is the short form. The full insight has every expert's reasoning, their own words and the sources.