The NATO chief’s statement that the war in Ukraine may not end sooner and may last for years rings the alarm for Russia and Ukraine, particularly, and the whole world, generally, especially the developing world, reeling from the high prices of fuel, mainly stemming from the war. The war has already surpassed its first 100-day mark, with no clear signs of its decisiveness, but the death and destruction it has heaped on Ukraine is unimaginable and offers much content for the leading war players – NATO and non-NATO western nations and Russia – to think about the ways to resolve the conflict through talks. It seems from the very beginning, NATO and Ukraine showed non-seriousness in giving dialogue a chance, when Russia showed its concerns about the NATO build-up in Ukraine and warned the neighbouring country of invasion in case it continued with its plans to join NATO, which would give a spying station to the anti-Russia bloc to watch over Moscow’s activities. When the Russia-Ukraine war started, the immediate victims were/are Russians and Ukrainians. Over a million Ukrainians have been displaced and are living in Western countries as refugees, and they may never return to their country again, and this is the ugliest and costliest face of war. On the other hand, Russians bear the brunt of the conflict as the country faces international isolation, and crippling sanctions have deteriorated the living standard of the people.
As NATO head Jens Stoltenberg writes in an article that he would urge all the western powers to step up weaponry supplies as the war could rage on for years, Russia won’t budge as it has also escalated its attacks on Ukrainian cities. But Russia must understand that even if it captures the whole of Ukraine, its cost will be constant and unbearable and at the end of the day, it will weaken itself as the war is a trap. On the other hand, NATO countries have seen the conflict as an opportunity to test and use their modern warfare and later on-sell them to the developing countries. Shame. The NATO chief says, “We must not let up in supporting Ukraine”, and that means more weapon supplies for Ukraine. “Even if the costs are high, not only for military support but also because of rising energy and food prices,” he goes on. Shame. Despite receiving constant supplies, Ukraine has failed to inflict damage on Russian troops and it is losing city after city to the invaders. Time is precious in wars, and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war will bring nothing beneficial for both warring sides in the long run. They must think about their own people and the whole world and inch towards peace.
