Markiian Chuchuk
Some Pakistani newspapers have recently expressed concern over the negative impact of international sanctions against Russia on the world economy. However, the reasons for imposing the sanctions against Russian Federation have never been listed. I want to clarify the issue. The ground for the international sanctions was Russia’s violation of international law, armed invasion and aggressive war against Ukraine, destruction of Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure by Russian missiles and bombs, mass murder of civilians by Russian invaders, including children.According to the Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine, 121 children were killed by Russian invaders, and 168 injured (as of 23 March). In this context, questions arise to ask the authors of such statements: why are they concerned about doing business with Russia but not about the aggressive war and the killings of children by Russia? Is this approach a sign of their millennial wisdom or something opposite? We are convinced that wisdom cannot be based on mercantilism by definition, it cannot ignore killings of children, otherwise, it turns into its opposite. A force that ignores responsibility and international law bring humankind back to life according to law of the jungle, where the stronger one is right. It ultimately leads to the escalation of violence, endless wars, endless fear and suffering of millions of people. Another important issue is discussed in the Pakistani media. If Pakistan condemns Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine and the killing of Ukrainian children, does it mean the country is joining a definite geopolitical bloc? No, it doesn’t. To make sure of that, there is no need to use the sophisticated dialectic of Yin-Yang, perform complex political analysis, but is enough to apply a simple logic of common sense.If both Imran and Joe condemn the killing of children, it does not automatically make them members of the same bloc. That makes them equally humane and probably gets them closer to each other. Nothing more.To explain the Russian aggression against Ukraine, some “experts” make references to false geopolitical considerations regarding “justified” security concerns of Moscow on the backdrop of NATO expansion. Such kinds of neurotic anxiety are completely separated from reality. Unprejudiced experts will never believe that Ukraine has ever possessed a threat to Russia, which is a much larger and stronger state having a nuclear weapon. In addition, it is not a secret, that NATO has never mentioned any specific dates for Ukraine’s accession to the Alliance.That nonsense on Russian security concerns was designed to overshadow the truth that Russia has committed an unprovoked armed assault on Ukraine to erase our country from the political map of the world. And finally, let us ask ourselves: has Russian aggression against Ukraine enhanced the global security and security of Russia itself? Or to the contrary? The answer is clear: Russian aggression against Ukraine has dramatically eroded regional and global security as it was wrong, the criminal idea in its essence, which in reality has nothing to do with the strengthening of the security but with the restoration of Russian imperialism.There are many appeals for peace in Ukraine in the media. Unfortunately, any kind of abstract calls for the diplomatic resolution of the conflict between the Russian Federation and Ukraine while the war continues, are doubtful and useless. Yes, Ukraine strongly supports negotiations and a peaceful resolution of the international armed conflict. However, is substantial negotiations possible if the negotiating partner keeps you at gunpoint in your own house demanding to surrender and accept humiliating demands? A rhetoric call to both sides to stop the war is meaningless too, as it puts both the aggressor and his victim on the same scale. Ukraine is defending, not attacking. How can Ukraine stop the war if the invading Russian army is on our soil and continues to attack? To stop its resistance and surrender to the mercy of the aggressor? We won’t do this because we are defending our homes and our families from cruel invaders who came to our land to kill us.One more important remark. We are firmly convinced that keeping neutrality, while war crimes are committed and children are killed, is unacceptable. Because it is the issue of both global future as well as human conscience too. Human lives are of the paramount value for any nation and any religion. The aggressor must be stopped now. Otherwise, this war could turn into a global catastrophe. We call on Pakistan to support the basic provisions of the UNGA resolution of 2 March 2022, adopted by 141 countries of the world. The Resolution, particularly reaffirms its commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders; deplores in the strongest terms the aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine in violation of Article 2 (4) of the UN Charter; demands that the Russian Federation immediately cease its use of force against Ukraine and to refrain from any further unlawful threat or use of force against any Member State; also demands that the Russian Federation immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders. The stance of every country in international peace and security issues does matter. That is especially true in the case of such a great nuclear power as Pakistan is.
