Dear Editor,
There is a saying that if you wish for peace you have to prepare for war. It would seem that this is exactly the thinking of NATO-backed Ukraine and Russia, both of whom are ramping up their military hardware and manpower, in an attempt to gain battlefield advantage. The recent decision by NATO to supply Ukraine with more sophisticated military hardware is fraught with danger and could potentially result in a nuclear war, the consequences of which are too chilling to contemplate.
In a matter of days the war will complete a full year. In what was projected by Russia as ‘a special military operation’, the war has now degenerated to a situation of horrifying proportions, especially in Ukraine where millions of people were forced to flee the comfort of their home and live as refugees in neighbouring Poland and several other European countries. Tens of thousands of lives were lost on both sides, not to mention the billions of dollars in damage to property and infrastructure.
There is only one way to end the war, and that is by way of diplomacy and negotiation. Any other means will only result in a further escalation of the war and continuing human misery. What has become clear so far is that the war cannot be won on the battlefield and with the supply of heavy military hardware to Ukraine by NATO, the chance of an early resolution seems increasingly remote.
I believe there is a role for China and the other BRIC countries, such as India and Brazil, in bringing about a peaceful resolution, and the sooner the better. The United Nations and its Security Council have so far proved to be incapable of ending the war, which calls into question its efficacy and relevance from the standpoint of conflict resolution among member states. The composition of the Security Council and the veto powers enjoyed by some of the bigger powers needs to be reviewed.
As a first step to ending the war, both sides to the war should end all hostilities. Russia should begin a phased withdrawal from all occupied territories in Ukraine since the commencement of the war a year ago. This could possibly form the basis for any serious and meaningful engagement among the parties to the war.
Sincerely,
Hydar Ally