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How we should deal with Ukraine/Russia and other border conflicts?

  • How would you feel if your home was destroyed in a cross-fire? If your children were playing under the bombs with the toys that used to belong your neighbor who recently was killed by stray bullet? What if you had to continue living in a conflict zone because you have nowhere else to go? This is what the general population in border areas between Russia and Ukraine has to deal with every day for the last two years. Civilians who are not taking sides in this border conflict between governments have to deal with a total disruption in their lives with no hope that there will be a resolution coming soon.

    We need to stop allowing superpowers to spread the conflicts on other territories through expanding and empowering the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). It is becoming more obvious that the United Nations (UN) is unable to resolve border conflicts such as one presently going on between Russia and Ukraine and protect innocent people. Even though the UN’s mission is to maintain international peace and security, recent events have shown that it is not always able to resolve territorial conflicts between its nation members. One of the main reasons for this is a structure of the Security Consul: its five permanent members are the most powerful nations who constantly oppose to each other. For example in the VICE NEWS video we saw that NATO officers provide training to Ukrainian troops. On the other side of the border Russian military is supporting the separatists. Same antagonism we see during UN meetings.

    The Non-Aligned Movement can be the only effective alternative where the United Nations fails.  The term has been in use since and refers to countries following five major principles, including mutual respect for each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty and mutual non-aggression. In fact, one of the NAM’s positions call for a reform of the UN which empowers certain states. The current Ukrainian border conflict is example of UN inefficiency. While Ukraine is currently serving its two year term on the Security Council, Russia who is permanent member invading its borders. In order to stop border conflicts we should reform our outdated international security system.

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  • Dear Nikolai,

    Thank you for calling our attention to a problem that disguises itself as a solution. You make a great case for why conflicts within UN meetings would result in proxy wars such as the one on Ukrainian soil. You also make a great case for reform of the UN and implementation of NAM. I’d be curious to see your evaluation of what other research articles say are the benefits of NAM. Also– what about the skeptics who say the UN doesn’t have to be a place of complete agreement, it has to be a place of accountability?

    DW

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