The war in Ukraine is about much more than the freedom of this large neighboring country to Russia. And that’s why Ukraine needs continued support from the West, says Miodrag Soric.
The world as it was before the Ukraine War – that’s what many in Europe, in Ukraine and also in Russia long for. When Kremlin politicians act as if they are ready to negotiate peace and this only fails because of the unwillingness of the Ukrainians and the West, then they are playing with this very longing of the people: to live in a world like them again before the war – without death and destruction, without sanctions, without expensive gas and oil.
But it will never be the same as it was before the war. That would apply even if the guns fell silent immediately. Because the Ukraine war is not the cause of the ongoing dispute about the future world order.
The war is only the consequence of this conflict. Russia wants to destroy the rights- and value-based world order – using all means. China, Iran, North Korea and other rogue states are assisting Moscow.
Because of that, this global struggle will last. It is a kind of undeclared World War III that Putin and other dictators are imposing on humanity – including their own compatriots.
Democracies cannot ignore the conflict, they cannot run away. If they did, it would result in a relapse into barbarism; in a world where only the power of the fittest counts, individual human rights have no meaning.
If Russia won the war against Ukraine, it would continue its aggression elsewhere: in Moldova, in Kazakhstan or in Belarus. China would also be encouraged to use even more violence against those who think differently and minorities: in Hong Kong, in Taiwan, on islands in the South China Sea.
The mullah regime in Iran would also shed any reservations about using violence against its own people, against other states in the Near and Middle East. It’s a good thing that the reverse is also true: If Russia loses this war, China, Iran, North Korea and other unjust states are likely to become more cautious.
It is no coincidence that Iran, of all people, is supplying combat drones to Putin. The mullahs know that their regime’s days will be numbered if Putin loses his war of aggression. After all, Iran mainly sells its oil to Moscow and Beijing. If these “customers” break away, the economic base of the terrorist regime in Tehran will implode. In addition, a victory for Ukraine would also spur on the protesters in Iran.
Because that’s the way it is, because everything is connected to everything else, Putin must not win. The democratic states, the civilized world must not give in to the dictators. NATO must upgrade massively – no matter how the war in Ukraine ends.
The EU, the USA, Canada, Australia, Japan and their allies can no longer be naïve when it comes to economic cooperation, absolutely dependent on supply chains, raw materials and export markets – even if they are as huge as China’s.
Certainly, the Ukrainians are primarily fighting for their freedom, for their country, for their families. Against the background of the global conflict between the coalition of the bad guys on the one hand and the free world, they also fight for everyone who values democracy and respect for human rights.
That is why the West must continue to support Ukraine – financially, militarily, morally and politically. Ukrainians are also fighting for many people around the world who know little about the war. Because does anyone seriously believe that Putin or Xi care about the global climate?
On the other hand, achieving the UN climate goals is impossible without Moscow and Beijing. That’s another reason why Putin must be stopped. As long as he is in power there will not and cannot be peace.
By Miodrag Soric, chief correspondent of Deutsche Welle
Belarusian ruler Lukashenko has ruled out deploying his army in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy announces that Russia will not break its people. Meanwhile, Russia fires deadly missiles at the liberated Cherson. All current voices and developments on the Ukraine war can be found in the ticker.
Russia continues to attack Ukraine with numerous missiles. In the recently liberated city of Kherson, the first people are being evacuated. According to a new British intelligence report, Russia is firing missiles with detached nuclear warheads.
In August 2021, Russia is said to have planned a military conflict with Japan. This is reported by a whistleblower from the Russian Federal Security Service in a secret letter. In view of the Kuril dispute, Russia had an “insane will to war”. But then the country attacked Ukraine.
The original of this post “Opinion: No peace with Vladimir Putin” comes from Deutsche Welle.
