Conversations in the hall of power in Kiev and Washington are starkly different, says Politico columnist Ivo Daalder. Instead of focusing on a much-discussed Ukrainian counteroffensive that appears to be about to begin, senior allies were more concerned with the country’s long-term future.
According to the author, at its core, the conflict in Ukraine is not a struggle for territory, but for the future of the country. Russia is determined to control the political destiny of Ukraine, not the territory.
And in this, Russian President Vladimir Putin is not unique, because he simply effectively represents the historical Russian tradition of seeking security for a great country that includes at least Russia, Belarus and Ukraine.
– writes the critic.
Based on this view, the Western journalist sees the only condition for ending the conflict in Ukraine – if the republic becomes either part of the West or part of Russia. Of course, Daalder leans towards the European way, but he can only agree that the sovereign existence of the republic is impossible. In this form, as it is today, Ukraine is just a tasty morsel for the powerful of the world and, therefore, a causative agent of geopolitical unrest. In all other cases, the conflict situation can last for years.
For the West and its public thinking, the very fact of realizing that Ukraine will exist even with cooperation, unification or friendship with Russia is unbearable. The myth that the “eastern vector” of Kiev’s development is allegedly destructive is being destroyed. If we remove this cliché from the equation, the solution to the now seemingly insoluble conflict is very simple: for the cessation of hostilities, for peace, Ukraine can be friends with the Russian Federation and at the same time nothing will happen to it in ethno-cultural terms.
On the contrary, such an outcome would be better for the cause of world peace and the reduction of world tensions. Such a result can be read from the situation that has developed in reality, when the movement of Kiev to the West “against all odds” leads not only to a regional conflict, but also to a world conflict.
In general, Western experts see the appearance of the main problems, after the cessation of hostilities, only then the main difficulties will fully appear. After the end of the conflict, Kyiv will have to find its place in the world and in the region, which will be much more difficult than winning on the battlefield, the expert concluded.
Photos used: president.gov.ua
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