A well-known Prussian military strategist Clausewitz in his mega opus “On War” wrote, “War is the extension of politics by other means.” While Machiavelli enunciated in his renowned book, ‘The Prince’ that Politics have no relation to morals. Russian blatant invasion of the civilians in recent attacks in Bucha clarified the brutal, nasty, and bellicose nature of humans which is described by the above-renowned philosophers and other proponents of the realist school of thought. The Russian military had devastated the edifice apartments in Irpin and Bucha which are suburban cities near the capital city of Kieyv. In those municipalities, Russian troops targeted unarmed civilians, first catching them and then tying their hands and finally shooting them ruthlessly. War crimes of Russian troops shocked the world, particularly the west. Recent satellite footage disgusted the families who left their loving ones for the protection of their homes. The appalling scene of bereaved families near the grave dug disheartened the world community. The question is how did this crazy war start and how can be stopped?
After World War I when the treaty of Versailles was signed in which Germany was punished heavily. Various military and political strategists referred to the root cause of the second world war as the treaty of Versailles which ignited the German masses and forces to take revenge for the humiliation. The same is the case with the war between Ukraine and Russia. As Ukraine handed over its nuclear weapons to Russia at the beginning of Ukraine’s independence in the 1990s. Here the realist school of thought argued states must be balanced their power with their counterparts, otherwise, opponents will engulf the sovereignty of the country in this anarchic world.
So, the Ukrainian leadership, in the beginning, left their country at the mercy of Russia and the west’s hollow promises to protect their land. Now, the outcomes of false decisions are in front of Ukraine and the world propagating the peaceful nature of man, which is a utopia as realists asserted. Here is a liberal school of thought boisterously claimed when interdependency between States is diluted this leads to chaos and anarchy which ultimately resulted in war and the same in the case of war between Russia and Ukraine. When Ukrainian leadership shifted its focus from Russia to the west and wanted to become part of the military alliance NATO. Also, Ukraine desired to be part of the European Union. This policy shift in Ukraine threatened Russia’s security and the expansion policy of NATO urged Russia to attack Ukraine. NATO has expanded its membership to 28 having 12 more countries, including strategically important three the Baltic States.
NATO continuously violated the agreements of non-expansion and broadened its extent.
In recent peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul Turkey’s president rightly pointed out that both states have genuine grievances. Because the Russian attack on Ukraine has logic in the sense that NATO expansion is a threat to Russian security.
The economic punishment of the west to Russia can stop the war but beyond the time limit because Putin firstly accumulated foreign exchange reserves and carried diplomatic help from China which divided the world into blocs. Now apparently war is between the West and its allies and the rest of the world. But all the burdens on Ukraine’s innocent civilians.
As soon as possible this war must be ended but it seems difficult until Russian troops are bogged down in Ukraine as in Afghanistan or Russia can’t accomplish its precise findings. But the point is that both factions should not close the dialogue window.
The reaction of the world community is too slow as recently Ukraine’s President Vladimir Zelensky said in an address to the Security Council that shut down the United Nations if this organization can’t stop the Russian aggression. President is right here about why the United Nations is too helpless in front of big giants to resolve the problems. The world community must put pressure on Russian leadership to avoid brutal killings of näive citizens. While untangling this crisis firstly NATO must ensure the non-expansion policy toward the east. Along with this is the question of why this military alliance is still working as this was made to deter communism which now exists nowhere in its real shape? Moscow also should give up its hegemonic policy to dominate the world. And Moscow must guarantee the reverence for the sovereignty of weaker states and enter into agreements with states to ensure peace, cooperation, and territorial integrity of such weaker states
