“Nations still hating one another
And superpowers, they looking for more power
As long as violence and aggression still dwell in the hearts of man
The war will go on it cannot be won.” – The War Goes On
Those words from Trinidadian calypsonian Sandra DesVignes-Millington, known more commonly as Singing Sandra, remind us that there will be no winners when all the dust is settled.
In the midst of battling a global pandemic that has taken millions of lives, here we are now three years later in 2022 witnessing man-made turmoil in Europe.
This morning, we all woke to the horrifying news that Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered his soldiers to invade Ukraine after months of threatening to do so.
Putin has often accused Ukraine of being taken over by extremists. Late last year, he began deploying thousands of Russian troops close to Ukraine’s borders. Russia has long opposed Ukraine’s move towards the European Union and NATO.
In the latest update, 137 people have been killed and 316 reported injured so far. It does not give us any comfort to know that Global Firepower ranks Russia as having the second-most-powerful military force in the world, behind the US.
Of this total, Russia is listed as having just under 70 million people available for military service, with just under 47 million who are deemed fit for service. It has 850,000 active personnel and 250,000 in reserve, for a total of 1,350,000, according to Global Firepower, while the IISS’s Military Balance estimates Russia’s active personnel strength to be 900,000.
Meanwhile, Ukraine is known as the breadbasket of Europe, exporting about 20 million tonnes of wheat a year which equates to 10 per cent of the world’s wheat exports. The country has extraordinarily fertile land that is used to cultivate grain. Some have speculated that this too could be one of the reasons for Putin’s invasion.
Western countries have reacted to the invasion by imposing economic sanctions on Russia and its leadership.
United States President Joe Biden announced harsh new sanctions on Russia meant to punish the country.
“Putin is the aggressor. Putin chose this war. And now he and his country will bear the consequences,” Biden said, laying out a set of measures that will “impose severe costs on the Russian economy, both immediately and over time”.
Biden’s counterpart UK’s Boris Johnson called Putin a “dictator”.
“The UK and our allies will respond decisively. Innumerable missiles and bombs have been raining down on an entirely innocent population. A vast invasion is underway by land, by sea, and by air. This is not, in the infamous phrase, some faraway country of which we know little. We have Ukrainian friends in this country; neighbours, co-workers.
“Ukraine is a country that for decades has enjoyed freedom and democracy and the right to choose its own destiny. We – and the world – cannot allow that freedom just to be snuffed out. We cannot and will not just look away”, Johnson said.
After a meeting, top European Union leaders said that Putin “must and will fail”.
Closer to home, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) added its voice.
“CARICOM maintains that the principles of universal respect and adherence to these norms and principles of international law are fundamental to the maintenance of the international system and global peace and security,” the regional bloc said in a statement.
“CARICOM calls on all parties involved to urgently embark on intensified diplomatic dialogue to immediately de-escalate hostilities and work towards a sustainable peace.”
Some, whether jokingly or otherwise, have said throughout the day that what is happening in Europe has nothing to do with us. But oh, how wrong they are.
Anyone who knows history knows that wars have a ripple effect. And, sadly, our islands in the Caribbean Sea are the small fish in a very huge pond, which means the fallout will hit us hardest.
During a war, the prices of commodities such as oil and food start to soar. There is social, political and economic fallout that takes years to heal. The thinking that this war in Europe is contained to two neighbouring countries has to be rubbished.
Both Russia and Ukraine have allies who may join the battle. Therein lies the possibility of World War III.
This is why Barbados, like any other country that occupies this planet, has all rights to be concerned.
We laud our Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley for speaking on the extremely grave state of affairs.
In a statement, she said: “The Government of Barbados, therefore, calls on the Russian Federation immediately to cease its hostilities and respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.
“The Government of Barbados reaffirms the essential role of diplomacy and multilateralism in de-escalating this spiraling crisis and calls on all member states of the United Nations to support the United Nations Secretary-General and other legitimate mediators.
“The Government of Barbados firmly believes that a peaceful, negotiated, diplomatic approach which results in the restoration of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is the only approach consistent with the values of the United Nations and with international law.”
May the words of our leader, and others, resonate with all involved.
