Sunday | February 27, 2022

After four intense days of Russia’s military aggression on Ukraine territory, talks for a ceasefire have been agreed upon. The unconditional negotiations will be held between Belarus and Ukraine border to break the conflict that has seen Ukraine cities reduced to rubbles in less than a week.

Russia launched the war through a three-pronged military invasion of Ukraine involving warships, air raids and armed ground tanks on Thursday, Feb. 24.

Since then, Ukraine has been under hostile attack and its main resources and property destroyed. The Kremlin’s incursion of a sovereign state is focused on the eastern, southern and northern borders of Ukraine. While Poland, Romania, Slovakia and many others situated on the western side of Ukraine have offered refugees shelter, Belarus, on its northern sphere, is being used by Russian assailers.

Stoic Unkranians 

But Ukrainians have shown unbelievable resolve and resistance and it seems this may become a well-drawn out battle in Ukraine cities. President Zelensky ordered men over 18 years and below 60 years old to stay and defend their country. Women, children and the elderly are allowed leave to neighbouring countries for their own safety. Still, Al Jazeera reported that half a million Ukraine citizens have been displaced.

The Russian invasion and the fight for the soul of Ukraine is seen as the biggest military attack since the 1940s.

Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba said on Saturday addressing the media that Russian attack is not going according to their schedule, he warned that the end is still far. Again, it was Kubeka who brought the news of talks on Sunday. Nevertheless, he insisted that Ukrainian defenses are still strong and they are fighting back the aggressors.

Ex Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko is one of the lead delegates of the urgent convened to resolve the Russia-Ukraine stalemate. He promised that the Belarusian base will not be used to disrupt nor launch any attacks during the meeting.

Brave War President

For how long Ukraine will hold back Russian hostile forces it is not clear. It was reported ON Sunday morning that Russia stepped up and rolled more hardware artillery.

President Volodymyr Zelensky swept into power three years ago after a life as a comedian. After a career that brought laughter and joy in many homes, now he is the Commander-in-chief  with little political experience faced with Russian invasion.

As the eastern side was the main entry point for Russian attack, other cities in the northern side have faced the onslaught. But Kyiv, the capital city of Ukraine, became one of the fiercest battle grounds between the two Soviet Union states. The mayor of Kyiv, former professional boxer Vitali Klitschko, has urged his compatriots to pledge support and hold back Putin’s advances..

What does President Vladimir Putin want in Ukraine? 

Experts opine that this invasion of Ukraine is his strategy to increase his power and influence in Eastern Europe. In his words before striking Ukraine, Putin said he is conducting a “military operation” to get rid of neo-narcissists on the eastern side. 

However, reports say he wants to effect a regime change so that he can be able to facilitate the inauguration of the new president who will be sympathetic towards his ambitions in Europe.

It is also said that Russia wants some sense of “neutrality” as far as the Ukraine government is concerned. The move to be a NATO (The North Atlantic Treaty Organization) affiliate seems to threaten Russia. It is reported that the Kremlin regime is against NATO forces near its borders on the eastern side of Ukraine. This is because Putin and his acolytes believe that the Soviet Union roots still bind Ukraine with Russia since they fell in 1991. Therefore, Ukraine’s leaning towards the worst is perceived as an attack on this history.

Developments on nuclear 

“This is a watershed moment,”  President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. The Lukashenko’s regime is complicit in the Russian war and the bloodshed of Ukrainians, she added. This is a historic moment since EU has never deploy military warfare in Europe.

Again, Russian owned aircrafts and operated jetliners will not be prohibited from any European airspaces, von der Leyen announced. She said that the ban also includes private jets used by Russian Oligarchs; and there will be a blackout on pro-Russia media. Therefore, in her emphasis, Belarus will be slammed with heavy sanctions to avoid circumvention by Russia.

Josep Borrell European Union (EU) Foreign Policy/Vice-president of the Commission said on Sunday that President Vladimir Putin has put his nuclear deterrent officials on high alert. Therefore, Ukraine must activate the EU instruments to request for the supply of military equipment, medical and fuel essentials (which will be financed by Europe), he added. Borrell urged all European countries to close airspace for Russia and close the taps for financial flows into Russia.

Appearing on video, Putin stated that his defense minister should place nuclear deterrents on “high alert” because Western nations are hostile towards Russia and its economy.

Furthermore, Borrell signaled that the EU is also slapping Belarus with sanctions due to its close proximity to Russia as it is known that it was used as a launching ground for Ukraine aggression.

Global Solidarity

The President of United States Joe Biden made it clear that American forces will not be deployed to Ukraine. However, he pledge US$3.5 Billion, arms and ammunition to Ukraine to ramp up its defense against the savagery onslaught by Putin’s men.

In a change tact, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said “1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger surface-to-air missiles” will be deployed to Ukraine since the Russian war is emerging as a serious threat to the global order. In this way, Scholz stressed, Ukrainians will have something to fend off Russian hostility.

Countries around the world are repudiating the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Different kinds of sanctions are being applied to limit Russia’s access to the main resources. At home, Russian police are cracking down protests and quelling dissent with crushing might. The war in Ukraine is raging with no sign of abating.