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Is Ukraine serving as a bulwark against Russia?

Published : Wednesday, 30 April, 2025 at 12:00 AM  Count : 372
Rajeev Ahmed
In the vast, golden wheat fields of Donbass, an ethnic Russian farmer named Alexei toiled alongside his 14-year-old son, Mikhail. The earth beneath them was soft and familiar, the sun casting amber light over the crops as a warm breeze carried the scent of soil and ripening grain. For generations, these lands had yielded sustenance and serenity. On that spring evening, the world outside seemed far away; father and son were united in the ancient rhythm of land, labour, and love. But that fragile peace was not to last.

The ground trembled. A distant rumble crept over the hills, followed by the sharp crack of artillery. Black smoke billowed on the horizon. The war had arrived, creeping into even the most remote corners of eastern Ukraine. The sacred bond between earth and man was severed, not by drought or disease, but by politics and power. The life Alexei had built was torn asunder by a war he had not chosen-a war ignited and sustained by leaders far removed from the wheat fields of Donbass.

The story of Alexei and Mikhail is just one among countless others, illustrating the deep human cost of a conflict that has devastated not only Ukraine, but also the moral compass of international diplomacy. What began as a confrontation over territorial integrity has evolved into something much darker-a prolonged proxy war waged not for peace, but for geopolitical leverage. At its epicentre stands Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a once-symbolic figure of resistance who, under the influence of Western patrons, has transformed into an agent of endless escalation.

When Russian troops entered Ukraine in February 2022, Zelenskyy was widely lauded as a modern-day David standing up to Goliath. Western capitals rallied around him, framing the conflict in the language of liberty and sovereignty. But beneath the rhetoric lay another agenda. For Washington, London, and Brussels, Ukraine became a strategic fulcrum to counter Russian influence, weaken Moscow, and reassert NATO's dominance in Eastern Europe. Zelensky, rather than pursuing early avenues for diplomacy, increasingly aligned himself with these aims.

A little-known but significant opportunity arose in March 2022, when Ukrainian and Russian negotiators met in Istanbul and drafted a preliminary peace agreement. The deal promised a ceasefire, neutrality for Ukraine, and security guarantees. Zelenskyy appeared inclined to accept, but pressure from Washington and London soon reversed that course. U.S. and British officials, reportedly dismayed by the possibility of a negotiated settlement that left Russia politically intact, leaned heavily on Kyiv to withdraw from the talks. What followed was a catastrophic miscalculation: a path to peace discarded for the promise of total victory-an illusion sustained by foreign arms and ideological fervour.

Since that fateful moment, Ukraine has paid dearly. Its population has been decimated-over 600,000 soldiers killed or maimed, a figure rarely acknowledged in Western media. The economy has shrunk by more than 30%, with entire industries obliterated. Zelenskyy's government, unable to meet its recruitment quotas, has begun conscripting men up to the age of 65, many seized off the streets and bus stops in scenes disturbingly reminiscent of authoritarian states. Civil liberties have been curtailed; dissenting voices silenced. Zelenskyy, once hailed as a defender of democracy, now presides over a regime that is monstrously autocratic and intolerant of dissent.

Meanwhile, Western support continues unabated. Germany alone sent over $14 billion in military aid in 2024, while the UK contributed an additional $6 billion, even as both nations grappled with inflation, social unrest, and energy crises at home. Instead of championing peace, leaders in Berlin, London, and Washington have chosen militarisation-fuelled by defence contractors, think tanks, and a deeply entrenched belief in Western ultra-liberal exceptionalism.

One of the most damning moments came during Orthodox Easter in 2024, when Ukrainian forces violated a ceasefire by launching attacks using Western-supplied munitions. For Orthodox Christians, Easter is a sacred time of reconciliation and spiritual renewal. That a truce was broken on such a day-under the eyes of a supposedly democratic and values-driven government-exposed the hypocrisy at the heart of Kyiv's wartime conduct. It was a betrayal not just of religion, but of the moral high ground Zelenskyy once claimed.

The reality is increasingly undeniable: Ukraine has become a pawn in a geopolitical contest far larger than itself. Western elites speak the language of peace and justice, yet pursue policies that ensure perpetual conflict. Military-industrial complexes profit, energy giants thrive on instability, and strategic hawks find validation in continued war. Zelenskyy, far from being a liberator, is now the public face of a disastrous project that has mortgaged Ukraine's future for temporary Western interests.

A contrasting vision has emerged from a voice many did not expect: Donald Trump. While controversial in many regards, Trump's stance on Ukraine reflects a markedly different philosophy-one rooted in diplomacy, multipolarity, and economic pragmatism. He has repeatedly pledged to end the war through negotiation, claiming he could broker peace within 24 hours. His critics scoff, but the underlying logic is clear: power should be exerted through commerce and competition, not through bombs and sanctions. Unlike Biden's war-driven approach, Trump offers a blueprint for disengagement and redirection-toward rebuilding, not ruin.

Europe, too, is buckling under the weight of this conflict. Energy prices have soared-thanks in part to sanctions and the destruction of the Nord Stream pipelines-raising household costs by 40% across the continent. Political stability is eroding, with parties with extremist views gaining ground in response to mass migration, economic stagnation, and unpopular foreign entanglements. Over 1.5 million Ukrainian refugees have strained infrastructure, schooling, and healthcare systems from Warsaw to Rome. Meanwhile, many in the Global South are watching Europe with growing scepticism. They see a continent that preaches democracy while practising militarism, and they question the sincerity of its professed values.

For nations like Bangladesh, the war's ripple effects are increasingly tangible. Food prices have risen sharply, driven by disrupted grain exports from Ukraine and Russia. Energy markets remain volatile, making fuel imports costlier. Foreign investment has become unpredictable, as global markets respond nervously to prolonged instability.

As a rising voice in the Global South, Bangladesh can position itself as a moral leader-advocating for diplomacy, multilateralism, and development over destruction similar to that of the US president Donald Trump's vision for peace. The country has long championed peace in its foreign policy doctrine, contributing to UN peacekeeping missions and promoting dialogue in regional forums. By aligning with the growing international demand led by the US President Donald Trump for a peaceful settlement of the war between Russia and Ukraine, Bangladesh can help tilt the balance away from belligerence and toward resolution.

The tragedy of Alexei and Mikhail should never have occurred. Their story, echoed in the ruined villages, shattered cities, and broken families of Ukraine, is a testimony to what happens when peace is traded for power. The world cannot afford to ignore the costs any longer. The wheat fields of Donbass, once symbols of prosperity and harmony, now bear silent witness to the folly of war and the failure of leadership.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his ultra-liberal western backers must face the truth: this war cannot be won on the battlefield. It can only be resolved at the negotiating table. And for that to happen, nations across the globe-especially those untouched by imperial legacies-must rise to advocate for an end to this madness. Peace is not a naïve dream; it is the only viable path forward. The longer it is delayed, the more lives will be lost, the more economies will falter, and the more trust will be eroded in the institutions that claim to safeguard the global order.

The time for peace is not tomorrow. It is now. And it is a choice the world must make before the fires of war consume us all.

The writer is Editor of Geopolits.com


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