There is enormous frustration in these words. The “peace plan” presented by the U.S. government is causing endless anger in exiled Russian activist Garry Kasparov. During a security forum in Canada, his voice nearly cracked. According to him, the embarrassment the United States suffered over the “leaked” peace plan was the best possible outcome the Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin could have hoped for. The former world chess champion, born in the Soviet Union and now living with his family in New York, worked himself into a fury. His criticism turned into a full-scale reckoning with the West. 

“It’s not about how many weapons you have. It’s not about ammunition. It’s about whether you are willing to fight and die for freedom,” Kasparov thundered at the Halifax Security Forum. Instead of defending that principle, he argued, Western leaders were debating a “peace plan” negotiated by Trump’s golf buddy. In his words, this would amount to a “real estate contract” designed to enrich Trump’s circle. “NATO is a farce” Kasparov said the West is far too hesitant: “Yes, it’s nice that NATO has a Canada-led brigade in Latvia. But what is their order when Russian troops cross the border? Will they shoot? We all know the answer! Negotiations will drag on forever.

There is no clarity. No determination.” The exiled Russian then became even more scathing: “NATO is not strong. NATO does not exist. It’s fake. NATO—those are just four letters on a piece of paper.” He insisted it is unthinkable to seriously discuss forcing Ukraine to dismantle defenses that literally protect Europe. According to him, it is only because of Ukraine that Russian tanks are not already in Poland.

“The only reason we can sit here today and calmly talk about NATO is that Ukraine is dying every minute.” Yet there is still debate over whether Ukraine should be admitted to the alliance—even though, in Kasparov’s view, it is the only nation that currently fulfills the alliance’s purpose. Putin, he warned, would gladly send North Koreans, Cubans and Africans to fight, while the West would overthink every scenario and fear escalation.

“We have everything: military, political and economic power on our side—and yet we are losing the war,” continued the dissident, whom Putin labels a “terrorist and extremist.” He concluded: “It is thanks to Ukraine that Russia cannot bring Putin’s dream of restoring the Russian empire to life. But if—God forbid—Ukraine is forced to accept this agreement, then Putin will clearly achieve his dream and then, my friends, you will be next. But you are not ready to fight!”