The war, 25th day!

Relentless bombings have left Mariupol devastated. The city resembles an alien land in space, only rubbles everywhere. People have fled, and the army has taken shelter wherever that seemed a safe haven and momentary respite from the raining Russian missiles. The Russian forces must grab fuel to sustain their fight, lest many die freezing deaths, entrapped in their tanks and trucks in the punishing cold.

The Russian invasion and annexation of Crimea in two weeks, when Putin installed a puppet government and captured the only all-weather Black sea Port. The Ukraine war seems to be lingering, which is sad from the perspective of 4 million fleeing the country, and infrastructure and civilian properties pulverized.

Meanwhile, Biden, the U.S. President, has further distanced himself from any meaningful guiding role or a highly unlikely face-to-face meeting with Putin by calling the Russian President a war criminal. The U.S. has not endeared to its NATO allies, post their abrupt abandoning of Afghanistan and refusing to engage in Ukraine directly. If fear of a nuclear holocaust is the reason, the world should destroy all nuclear bombs immediately or as soon the war is over.

In the wake of sanctions, India’s decision to purchase 3 million barrels of Russian oil has rattled the West while earning praise from Imran Khan, the President of Pakistan. However, any praise of Modi is suicidal for Khan, as he would be facing a confidence vote on Friday. The Indo-Russia deal is likely to be in Rupees, and the deal is likely to change the domination of the U.S. Dollar as the primary currency for energy deals.

Countries that tried to engage in non-dollar deals like Libya, Iraq, Iran, and Venezuela came under the wrath of the West. Venezuela, a once prosperous country, faced hyperinflation and internal rebellion. Today’s scenario has become different, with China quietly stepping in and grabbing the pole position as an arbitrator. Biden, who abhors China and its President Xi, humbly had more than one round of virtual meetings with Xi Jinping, whining, please don’t enter the war.

Putin seems to be the lion in the jungle, gripping a buffalo and not letting it go, despite many other buffalos surrounding and making threatening noises. Putin knows this war is at his door, and no buffalos can dislodge him, a lesson he had learnt from Crimea. The weak knees of the EU countries have never been more pronounced than now by letting Putin wage war for nearly a month, while the EU indulged in unskilled diplomacy and endless meetings, which are still on.

I thought the conventional style of warfare had ended. Countries are restrained in using nuclear or thermonuclear bombs, though many have envious stockpiles. China, Iran, N. Korea, and Russia is a lethal cocktail that must be nipped in the bud. The U.S. cannot engage with the group with its unenvious track record.

France and India can mediate, which they should.

Sampath Kumar

Intrépide Voix