The Russian-Ukrainian Tension And Western Expansionism: A Threat To International Peace.

The world is not kept together because of peace. The world has been together in modern times because of fear of war.

Conflict and war are part of human nature and have evolved as long as humanity has been in existence. Spanning from the first recorded war in human history, the Mesopotamia war was in 2700BC. Then came after, multiple successive battles and wars such as the battle of Kadesh in 1274 BC, the Ottoman wars in Europe in 1265BC, the Roman-Persian wars in 92 BC, the Babylonian war in 311BC, the World War I, the World war II, the Vietnam war and Russo-Ukrainian war, which above all is the most recent and there’s no end in sight.

Over the course of time, historical antecedent, facts, studies and experience, shows that the major essence of war is primarily and pragmatically affirmed as interest (Economic gain, territorial gains) over influence, Religion, Nationalism, Ego, quest for political domination over other potential causes or essences of war.

Russian-Ukraine Tension.

Like every other war or crisis that escalated in the past, Russo-Ukrainian tension snowballed from remote to immediate factors or causes.

The annexation of Crimea peninsula by Russia in 2015, a region originally dominated by the Tatars for over 400 years then eventually the reign of the USSR, a period in which Russians controlled the region for a little over 70 years and then inherited by the Ukrainians which they owned for 60 years by virtue of geographical integrity until aborted by the return of Russia again in 2015 in what was popularly referred to as an “annex,” a scene which in addition to other relative aggression built up remote factors of the ongoing tension. 

Leftist wing scholars have argued that the western expansion into the territory of the former member state of USSR and Russian sphere of influence is a setting that Russia wouldn’t be wrong if perceived as a threat to its national security and that is an Immediate cause or factor of the Russo-Ukrainian war. Facts surrounding the tension and escalated war between Russia and Ukraine are divided depending on one’s pre-existing perspective. Multiple scholars have engaged into literatures regarding the war in Ukraine only with the intention of defending or justifying their personal pre-existing stances, perspective, wings and socio-economic ideology.

Western Expansionism.

In the words of Paul A. C. Koistinen, “the Business of America is the business of war.”

The United state of American in recent past has been into engagement in multiple warfare, perhaps intra-national conflicts such as the Libyan conflict, Somalian crises, Afghan’s-Taliban and the Vietnam war, etc. This they do either directly or indirectly across the continent and nations of the globe with aims of bolstering their influence and dominance through channels such as the activities of the Economic hit men (EHM are well paid private international firms who are unofficially used by the United States Government for economic manoeuvring through multiple means of falsification of economic statistics, debt Loyalty, with aims of building western economic affluence and expansion), World bank, IMF, bribes, pay-off, military coups backing and conflicts against Non-Pro American head of States.

A relative case of Mohammed Mossadegh, Iranian prime minister 1951, who nationalized the British petroleum company that exploits Iranians their natural resources and people, following Iranian revolts against the British oil company. The United States, through activities of the CIA, sold out the impression that Mossadegh was both inept and unpopular. This they brilliantly achieved through Bribes, threat, payoff and enlisting Iranians to organizing street riots and violent protests.

The big lie and great conspiracy leads to Mossadegh dethronement and him spending the rest of his life under house arrest and Finally, the emergence of Mohammed Reza, the unchallenged dictator who took Mossadegh’s place.

Leaked email of Hillary Clinton while in office proved evidence of similar scenario in the American involvement in the Libyan conflict, the western interest in the conflict, their focal point and the role played by Washington, DC. The westerner’s perceived threat of the United state of Africa (Africa as a united front), looting Libyans over 130 tons of Gold, conspiracy and assassination of Muammar Gaddafi, abortion of Muammar Gaddafi’s plans of establishing single currency for Africa, the aims of emancipation of African nations from the claws of manipulating western capitalist debt, sophisticated version of imperialism and scramble for Africa. Just that America and China are the modern day key actors in the partitioning in recent time.

Lessons From Past Wars

The World War I taught the world lessons that The World War II would modify. Mutual defence alliance (Russia & Serbia allegiance, Germany & Austria-Hungary allegiance etc.) wherein countries were into joint military allegiance, agreement, protection and support of their partners or mutual military colleagues at the advent of invasion or in a case of declaration of war against alliance partner from external aggressors, war faction or other nation(s).

This mutual defence alliance was the first out of multiple other factors that drew nations into conflicts and eventually wars that weren’t meant to be theirs in the first place during World War I.

The mutual defence alliance made a mess of war, which led the majority of the nations to dissolve similar or relative military pacts or alliance that motivate wars due to sentiments over constructive reasoning. This experience of the past is one of the reason the Russia-Ukraine war has understandably remained a limited or rather a restricted physical military confrontation between Russia and Ukraine.

Though other nations of the Globe, particularly political and economic partners of the two conflicting faction has provided their support in finance, military hardware, warheads and military supplies to factions of the war which they advocate for, in a fashion which could be likened to chants of supports by spectators on their seats which circumferences the football pitch on a live football match day in a stadium, or could also be compared to audience in amphitheatre or coliseum anxiously watching on the stage of the coliseum a live dramatic performance or concerts in solidarity and support for their favourite performer.

Conflict and wars might be threats to world peace, but past wars brought civilization to where it is today. The world has evolved a long way far from a pool of naivety that it could have been swimming in if not for lessons taught by past wars. Those Lessons made us learn to live with one another in fear of war, pacification, adoption of sanction over violence or retaliation and aversion of engagement from outright military alliance, similar to the type that motivated the escalation of WW1. Someone needs to have some senses.

In the words of Martin Luther king Jr.  “War could never be a positive good, but could serve as a negative good by preventing the spread and growth of an evil force. War, as horrible as it is, might be more preferable to surrender to a totalitarian system. But now the potential destructiveness of modern weapons totally rules out the possibility of war achieving a negative good. If we assume that mankind has a right to survive, then we must find an alternative to war and destruction.”

In the words of India Legend and independence Hero, Mahatma Ghandi “An eye for an eye makes the world blind”

About the Author:

Ekweozor Chukwuebuka Emmanuel is a graduate of Public administration from Chukwuemeka odumegwu Ojukwu university igbariam, Anambra state. He has a keen interest in public policy, international politics, relations and economy.