The recent drone strikes aimed at the Kremlin and the subsequent explosions in cities across Ukraine is indicative that the 14-month-old Russia-Ukraine war will continue to disturb world peace and economy for more months to come, unless both sides realise the futility of such an armed exercise. Many observers fear that Russia will launch a fresh offensive against Ukraine after the much expected public appearance of President Vladimir Putin on the celebration of Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany during the Second World War. On its part, Ukraine will also make attempts to recapture the land occupied by Russia in the southern and eastern parts of the country. Both actions will only further deteriorate the situation in Eastern Europe, which a pandemic-ravaged world cannot afford. But war-mongers and their instigators are unperturbed as they will leave no stone unturned to establish their hegemony over others. While Russia wants to control Ukraine through a proxy government to keep North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) at bay, the US-led multi-nation organisation wants anti-Russia powers to be at the helm of affairs in Ukraine to keep a watch on Moscow’s every move. The prevailing high-voltage situation needs urgent equitable solutions and all peace-loving nations should make every effort to bring the warring sides to the negotiation table to ease tensions.
Peace between the two European neighbours has been made difficult by the fact that the world has been divided into two much before the war started. While Putin’s aggression got support from China and a number of other countries, the US and its allies provided Zelenskyy with all necessary help to add fuel to the fire. Instead of taking sides, all nations need to urge both countries to resolve crucial issues through negotiations. In fact, the United Nations (UN) is the best-suited international organisation to broker an agreement between the warring sides through peaceful means. However it appears to be failing in this situation, as the world body has not been able to pass a resolution categorically asking both countries to stop the war. Clearly, it doesn’t speak well about the organisation which has been specially created to maintain peace in the world. The UN’s timid response towards the crisis has further aggravated the situation. Such a situation could have been avoided if the UN played a pro-active role and asserted its stand on the nations directly or indirectly fueling the ongoing war.
On its part, the world can only hope that the war will come to an end sooner than later and peace return permanently. It’s time for all of us to realise that war has no winner, rather it brings unbearable miseries to all. The present inflationary trend in the market is a result of the ongoing war. So, instead of indulging in more destruction, the world should unite to bring this war to a halt. Respecting each other’s sovereignty is the prerequisite for peaceful coexistence and no one should violate this golden rule.
