Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has generated a great deal of media attention. On the surface, the invasion of Ukraine is a blow to the liberal international order anchored by American military dominance since the end of the Cold War. Nonetheless, there is an underlying moral dimension to the conflict that needs to be considered. As such, the response to the crisis should be as much a rejection of Putinism as it is support for the Ukrainian people. Even though Ukraine is not a model of liberal democracy – it scores just 3.36 on Freedom House’s 7-point democracy scale — Putin’s openly stated intent to undermine the liberal order and scorns democratic values.
The moral outrage directed at Putin is a flawed strategy. If sanctions are imposed to force Putin to withdraw, it will only make things worse. After all, Russia’s geopolitical alignment is a vital interest, and it is willing to use force to protect that interest. No great power can afford to be indifferent to geostrategic forces at its border. If Russia wants to maintain its alliance with the West, it will have to mobilize its forces to defend its interests.
Regardless of the moral outrage, tougher sanctions are unlikely to force Putin to surrender. The Ukraine is a vital part of Russia’s geopolitical alignment, and Russia will use force to protect that alignment. And while there are many other reasons for the Ukrainian crisis, none are as compelling as the need for international assistance. And if Russia is not willing to act, the international community must continue to support them.
A major question is whether we should be more sympathetic to Ukraine.
While the pope’s peace prayers are certainly welcome, Putin is displaying a lack of empathy for his country by using lies to justify aggression. This is a moral crisis, not just a military one. Neither the moral nor the economic crisis can be resolved through loans. Moreover, these loans are not an assurance of economic stability.
The Ukraine War has only lasted two weeks. It has been characterized by indiscriminate bombing of Ukrainian towns. Hundreds of thousands of civilians have died, and the death toll is rapidly rising. The Russian attack has destroyed the Ukrainian infrastructure and devastated its economy. The international community has been forced to provide tens of billions of dollars in emergency funding for the region.
The Ukrainian military should not be targeted against the Ukrainian population, but rather its civilians. The Europeans must take care of the Ukrainian people and provide them with essential aid. This will help them rebuild their country. The Western nations need to ensure the safety of their citizens and provide assistance to the refugees. There are numerous reasons to hedge their bets, but the United States should be the leader.
While Putin’s actions in Ukraine may be justified, the argument of moral equivalence is not applicable to the Ukrainian case.
Instead, it’s a political issue that should be resolved by the international community. The Russians must be prevented from encroaching on Ukraine and the surrounding countries. This will not only be detrimental to the United States but also to the rest of the world.
The moral aspect of the conflict in Ukraine must be addressed as a humanitarian crisis. The responsibility to protect means that the international community will step in to protect civilians and prevent war crimes. But if the Ukrainian government is unable to protect its citizens, the consequences will extend beyond the immediate crisis. The EU must make every effort to protect the people in the country, not only the soldiers in the conflict.
The military crisis in Ukraine is only one part of the problem. The moral crisis is also part of the psychological and social aspect. The Ukrainian people are suffering enormously in all scenarios of the conflict. And the situation is not helping them with their emotional and psychological wellbeing. In addition, the European Union must show that it can do better than Russia in this situation. A better way to do this is to demonstrate that it is ready to fight.
