OF UKRAINE, THE GLOBAL ECONOMY, AND PROSPECTS FOR WORLD WAR III.

It is just a little over 24 months since the pandemic broke out of WUHAN, where three individuals were first diagnosed with the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus. We need no prophet to tell us how life-altering the followed events were.

However, recovering from the pandemic appears to have taken the back burner by a more urgent conversation and the daily build-up of actions from the world’s leading countries.

Since the end of the Second World War, countries have built strong alliances, partnerships, and organizations to curtail the occurrence of another war that could lead to the death of millions of people. These pacts and organizations have succeeded in their own ways, but the drums of war are now beating louder than ever; with no thanks to the leaders of the two most powerful nations on earth.

In 2014, Crimea was annexed by Russia, and since then, there has been a covert and overt plot to limit the sovereignty of Ukraine (and other previous nations who were part of the Soviet Union) despite it being an independent nation. This subtle plot from Russia has become a more direct assault leading to over 150,000 Russian troops now surrounding the Ukrainian Borders and conducting military exercises.

In every nation, there are always ‘Pro’ i.e., for and in support of an ideology and those who are against it. For example, despite Ukraine being an independent nation, there are Pro-Russian groups who believe Ukraine has no business being an independent nation and are better off as part of the Russian Federation. Of course, some people believe that Ukraine is an independent nation despite having a shared history with the Russians.

Pro-Russian separatists have enjoyed support -financially and military-wise -from Russia over the years, and if this persists, there is no telling how the future of Ukraine will play out.

Political analysts argue that Vladimir Putin, who once worked as a KGB Agent in Russia before rising to prominence and becoming a global leader, desires to resurrect the Soviet Empire from its ruins.

Who would have thought that in our modern pro-democratic world, one country will question or police the decision of another independent nation as to whom they choose or desire to associate with?

International politics cannot often be understood, looking at it only from one direction; there are always more parties and interests at play.

But is war the solution?

Are humans still thirsty to pick up the guns, wreck billions of dollars in infrastructure and destroy human lives?

Maybe a lesson or two on the war in Afghanistan should serve as a textbook on why not to pursue a war.

In August 2021, the United States pulled out all its troops and halted the war in Afghanistan, which had lasted over 20 years. A war that yielded no results despite the many milestones believed to be leading somewhere.

According to USA Today, the US spent over $2.4 trillion executing that war. Indeed, a war that was believed should last a few months, which eventually spanned two decades, should teach the world a lesson or two about the cost of warfare.

Imagine if that whopping sum was pumped into the global economy or given as aid to third world countries or some other noble cause for humanity? How better would our world be?

In the recent speech given by President Joe Biden from the White House concerning the crises, much is to be learned about leadership and diplomacy.

In his speech, he continued to push for diplomacy, talks and agreements to find common ground for a resolution and de-escalation of the crisis and provocation.

If the words of President Biden fall on good soil, we will see the de-escalation of the crisis and resolution in the coming weeks.

Nations must continue to engage intelligently and thrive on diplomacy without warfare of guns and blood. Military invasions and warfare should always be a last resort and only used as a means of deterrence.