The Ukraine – Russia crisis is seeing news generation by the hour. Yesterday the world was jolted when Putin ordered to keep the nuclear deterrent inactive conditions. There was also news of Ukraine Russia talking on the Belarus order which has been accepted by Zelnestsky but without many expectations. The talks are going on at the time of writing this piece.
In another development Kosovo, a small nation has asked for Nato membership and a permanent military base. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has ordered a special fund German army targetted towards armaments projects acknowledging the threat from Russia and Putin and seeing it as an attempt to establish a new world. order. This was said in a televised speech to the nation. [1]. The Ukrainian President has also requested for EU membership.
Meanwhile, the west with all its might is trying to pressurize Putin and Russia with sanctions. Russia Today (RT), Sputnik, Russian Banks, energy are all under sanction and even Russia is barred from certain sports associations.
It seems that after the success of Georgia and Crimea, Putin had thought this third country Ukraine to be under Russia without much difficulty. But looking back at the events since February 24 it’s clear that things have not gone as per the Russian expectations and hence we hear the threat of nuclear readiness. T
President Putin in his zest has just made the genie out of the bottle AND WE ARE OF THE OPINION THAT the world has entered into a new phase of global disorder permanently.
In other news India is focusing its energy on bringing stranded students and citizens back from Ukraine. Many of these students are girls who go to Ukraine to get an MBBS degree in 25 lakhs as compared to a minimum of 60 lakhs in India in a third-degree private medical college. Many go for Nursing courses also.
But in between the mayhem which has caught the world on the wrong foot, especially after the jolt of coronavirus, and also India, it is important that the supply chains and energy prices are kept for strict monitoring. This war in all probability may not end soon as now it has become a case of huge Ego and high stake game. Its a survival game for Russia and Putin while the west would like to save their face and ego besides of course the future course of events. The UN has also called the general assembly meeting where all the 193 nations will be participating to further discuss on the issue.
The oil prices are already hovering around 104 dollars to a barrel and may hit hard to many nations including India. The supply chains can again be stagnated and the assembly lines will lie vacant for want-to-components. There are other impediments to come should this war linger and extend beyond a week. Inflation is already high and will be touching the roof soon. The UP elections are at the fag end and the government has no option but to raise the petrol-diesel prices. Unemployment is one of the important factors in the UP elections and if at all the BJP loses the state election it will be due to this.
We would therefore like to request the Indian government and PM Modi to step up backroom diplomacy and get engaged with all the parties especially Russia, the US, and Ukraine. The government must press for a temporary truce and ceasefire. This may help all nations to think and decide on a peaceful solution.
India with excellent relations is best suited for the job and especially PM Modi. We are of the opinion that his mediation may actually work. The government must move its focus from Mission Ganga towards this bigger calamity and try to work out a solution between warring nations. India is already getting some negative narratives on being absent from the critical UNSC meet a few days back. To compensate that India has to engage all parties with its diplomatic efforts which can help to remove that negative narrative.
The Russin threat of nuclear alert may appear to be more of rhetoric but then one never knows.
IN view of all the events happening at a superfast rate we would like to request PM Modi to launch a new diplomacy campaign to save the world and the nation.
References:
1. https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/27/scholz-germany-pledges-defense-spending-increase-in-shift-in-strategy.html
Asheesh Shah
Samanvaya
