As reports roll in of almost 800 civilians sheltering in a chemical factory in Severodonetsk that houses highly explosive material, we are left wondering if there’s any end to this war. This is more dearly felt by the parched nations of Europe — Germany and France — as they struggle to fend off problems caused by the invasion. The heightened fuel prices owing to a Russia-induced global shortage, an asthmatic economy, and a never-before-seen inflation, are prompting them to think the better of Russia. Given that only these two states, and Hungary to an extent (but for other reasons) seem to advocate for a better approach in dealing with Russia, this thought is bound to be submerged in the majority sway.
But this is not to say that this belief, which doubtless would begin to bite the rest of Europe soon, has little credence to command a change of tack among the Western leadership. Perhaps, it is more pragmatic. If only we perused it a little longer.
The other camp, comprising the U.S., the U.K., the Baltic states (Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia), Poland, etc., would go to any lengths to ensure that Russia’s rendered gasping for breath, its economy battered, and Putin sent down to his bunkers once again. To this end, they don’t desire in the least to see anything less than a military victory for Ukraine. However, this elusive military solution that would supposedly culminate in a “humiliation” of Russia does not look feasible nor logical in the long run. For one, a military victory as the U.S. imagines would entail such wide-ranging depletion of resources, and a Europe that’s left raking for survival (due to public resentment caused by spiralling cost of living) that the gratification one earns from seeing the demise of Russia would taste bitter, than sweet. Nor are we in a position to predict what could happen next given Russia’s possession of one-fifths of Ukraine, and Ukrainian forces’ show of bravado on the front lines. To add fuel, Russia has also blockaded Ukraine’s Black Sea ports from where exports of food grains take place, which have alarmed the developing countries’, much of whose well-being depends on the fodder exported by the East European country.
For economic sanctions to work, it should be implemented without exception or it would do only so much good as to instil a sense of conviction in Putin’s mind that world cannot do without Russian oil. Until a renewable alternative is figured out (which seems far-fetched given the lack of preparation), a majority of the world shall, for the foreseeable future, be at the mercy of Russia’s oil. Against these odds, it only appears too convincing that a diplomatic solution is the best path forward, discounting for the tirades of “insensitivity to Ukrainians’ sufferings” a person who subscribes to this position might have to, again, suffer.
If this seemingly endless suffering is to cease, the states must pull the strings and put a stop to the war. And if that is to happen, a talk, than a baulk, is our only refuge.
The Unsaturated Reader 