Ukrainian Dilemma 1

 

On Thursday, Russia launched an attack on major cities and military installations across Ukraine. Ukrainian officials say Russian troops are closing in on the Ukrainian capital: Kyiv. Meanwhile, the United Nations reports that over 100,000 Ukrainians have fled their homes with several thousand already crossing into neighboring countries... in just the first day.

Predictions of multiple millions of refugees moving west... seems likely...

The Washington Post's Loveday Morris reports from the Medyka-Shehyin border crossing, between Poland and Ukraine... 

"Carrying children on their shoulders, dragging suitcases and the little they could carry, Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s assault on their country walked for miles to border crossings with Poland on Thursday, seeking safety outside their homeland."

"Lines of barely moving cars stretched at least five miles into Ukraine from the Medyka-Shehyni border point, prompting some frustrated passengers to abandon their vehicles and continue on foot. Some said they woke up to the sound of rockets and decided it was finally time to flee."

“We didn’t expect it to happen so fast,” said Khrystyna Spilnyk, 22, who was walking to the border with her mother after leaving their car at the side of the road. “We are stressed, confused.”

Regardless of  which news service, regardless of which Party Line we consider to be valid... it is clear that the World Order of Post-WWII... of Post-Cold War... of the newly vacated, Post-Petro-Dollar era... has been shattered. The horror of war, being visited upon the Ukrainian people, marks our World's entry into un-charted, geo-political territory. Or perhaps it is a return to something as old and corrupt as EMPIRE itself.

As horrific as it is, thinking beyond the Ukraine/Russian crisis, beyond the immediate atrocity, beyond the propagandizing of East and West... the question becomes... what solutions can be considered, that would satisfy all parties? One proposal that might address Russian concerns over NATO's eastern expansion... as well as European concerns over Russian imperialistic expansion... is as follows...

Imagine an alliance of Balkan States, both NATO and non-aligned, bordering Russia's Western expanse. This alliance would include Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova... even Finland.  Imagine a iron-clad, non-aggression pact, agreed to by Russia, the EU, and NATO. In the pact, both NATO and Russia would commit to de-escalate their military presence. No missiles, tanks, airpower or troops.

Imagine a Balkan buffer zone where NATO de-militarizes in member Nations, and commits to non-expansion in non-NATO Nations. Imagine a Balkan alliance where Russia ceases her westward expansion and is satisfied that the buffer alliance removes NATO's threat to the motherland's security.  Imagine the Balkan Alliance acting as a bridge between Russia and Europe, where goods and services, social and intellectual exchanges would be allowed to grow in peace.

Imagine...

Such an alliance would equally address the concerns of NATO and mother Russia, alike. Such an alliance would solve each power's stated concerns... that is, if their stated concerns are their true concerns. As it stands, the invasion of Ukraine looks like every other expansion of EMPIRE that has ever been. Acquisition by brute force.

The Ukrainian dilemma is the world's dilemma... A return of/to predator/dominator domination and brutality. Adventurous regimes, East and West, ruthlessly pursuing imperialistic expansion. The powerful few, crushing the many. The "you-know-what" never ended. Meanwhile... citizens around the world call for peace...

 "If we have no peace...

it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other." 

- Mother Teresa