In my previous article, I had mentioned about the cause and relational effects of the current crisis in Europe.
I now intend to amplify a little more on the current situation there caused by Russian invasion of Ukraine. I must mention that I am neither in favour of war nor am against any sovereign nation. With high dignity and self-respect, people must know the fact and the truth behind this act of hypocrisy by many nations.
Currently, Russia is doing what the USA and NATO had done in the past two decades in Libya, Iraq, Yemen, Syria, Afghanistan and many more nations.
Russia has done far less than what the US has done in the past. Israel is still invading Palestine, killing innocent lives, and it seems like nothing is happening around.
But, it's not a point of comparison. Instead everyone got engaged to achieve their vested interest and acted completely wrong.
We are not in favour of both strategies. All nations that engaged in such activities must pay a war indemnity for the war crimes and humanity someday.
There could be that quest of thought that, had Russia not started the military operation or invasion, what would have happened? This war would have happened anyway later in the future, had Ukraine joined NATO. Everyone's concern has been focussed on whether Putin would still be alive or out of the presidency after a few years. It seemed like someone had been waiting too long for the right time to execute the plan.
To put it simply, Russia did not want NATO at its borders and see a base of US and Western allies. No one wants armed forces sitting right in front of your eyes and posing a threat to the nation everyday. So, the act is in violation of the Minsk agreement, which was hammered out in 2015 in a bid to end a bloody 10-month conflict in eastern Ukraine. For instance, why doesn't Israel tolerate Hezbollah on its borders? And America never tolerated Russian missiles in Cuba during the Cuban missile crisis.
The more troubling part is that, Putin believes - and what is particularly intolerable - is the so-called civilised West's deliberate refusal to take into account the death of 14-15 thousand civilians in the Donetsk and Lugansk republics of Ukraine for eight years.
Also American weapons manufacturers have had five years of peace, and Germany's increased defense budget of €100 billion alone must be music to the likes of Lockheed Martin and Raytheon.
It clearly seems someone is the provocator and has used Ukraine as a proxy to point a finger at Putin and provoke Russia. This war has something to do with the arms industry as well besides energy and the economy. Putin has gone beyond the point of no return and will see this job through and unleash more brutality until Ukraine yields to Russia.
Why NATO has not involved itself in the war is the million dollar question.
They have more weapons than Russia, superior technology and could in theory defeat Russia with the alliance.
So why did they bait Ukraine? It's a very cruel joke that a country is being ravaged on an hourly basis, and instead of stopping the war, the US and its allies are selling and supplying weapons continuously.
European lives, the economy and geography are not safe until the EU leaders invite Putin to negotiate peace. It seems European leaders have not drawn healthy and moral lessons from the previous world war. Experience tells us that Europe was devastated while the American economy thrived because it stayed far from the conflict.
Today the same mistake is being repeated. Should this war degenerates into a fullfledged conflict, Europeans will suffer more and come out more impoverished than in 1945 because today's military hardware is much more advanced, which can cause unimaginable destruction to life and property.
Poland has not learnt from its past experience and is banking on NATO to save it from Russian aggression.
Today we read news about US Secretary of State Blinken saying that the US is working on a deal with Poland to supply Ukraine with jets amid Russia's invasion. In my perception, Poland should not follow the US counsel.
This might serve as a catalyst for World War III. It's not only about Polland, the whole of Europe will face a major threat.
Changes come slowly but steadily, and moreover destruction has the seeds of change itself. No empire remains eternal, it is as simple as that, and the timeline of history is an eyewitness to it. China has wrested economic advantage from the USA and Europe, therefore power will shift its poles very soon.
Those who are dissilusioned with the present should know that 50 years, 100 years are very small periods in human history, and sometimes changes may take centuries to take effect, but they do tale place for sure. No power by any means can remain on top forever because change is not in anyone's control.
No one will emerge safe out of the horrible and terrible situation in Ukraine.
It's just the beginning – European wars have a tendency to escalate, and history is proof of that. So, immediate demilitarisation of NATO military installations (bases and missiles) from Europe and signing of a general convention between Russia and the Western allies will ensure peace now and in the future.
Should the war continue any longer, an economic catastrophe is already knocking at the doors of Europe and the world.
What will follow will be even more critical with a prolonged economic crisis combined with rising income inequality, thus escalating global military conflicts around the globe.
Instead of supplying lethal weapons to Ukraine, the EU should take the profound leadership initiative to solve the pragmatic political issue between Ukraine and Russia in a peaceful manner. The EU should invite China as well for negotiations to lead as the mediator and establish peace in Europe. It will be a monument to international diplomacy while securing peace for everyone for the coming generation as well.
Ojha is an engineer for a multinational company in Denmark
A version of this article appears in the print on March 22, 2022, of The Himalayan Times