[Opinion] Comparing Ukrainian politics to American politics is preposterous!
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An article I wrote on Medium about the war in Ukraine is still getting comments. No wonder, because the war between Russia and Ukraine continues to rage on, with no end in sight, due to the lack of will from both sides to reach a settlement.
This war continues to the detriment of the global economy, with ripple effects throughout the global commodities and shipping markets being felt the most.
But in this opinion I want to highlight two comments that were posted on the article this week. Read the two comments below:
Me: I think the issue of Ukraine’s sovereignty has not been discussed enough in the context of Ukraine’s war.
In response to my comment above, here’s what Anton said:
“It is not a war for Ukraine. This is not a war against Ukraine. This is not a war for Ukrainian territories. This is a war for the future world order: a new set of rules for the great powers and a new division of spheres of influence. Putin was absolutely explicit about this when he spoke at the Valdai International Discussion Club in September. The goals of the war have not changed at all since February 2022, and Russia will not stop until it achieves them or is defeated.”
This war between Russia and Ukraine is absolutely about a future world order and a new division of spheres on influence — just look at the involvement of the United States and People’s Republic of China in this affair. Not to mention other influential actors such as Turkey. The war in Ukraine has become hyper-focused on political leverage, since this is what determines who dictates who in the future of international politics.
I would also boldly add that this war has completely altered the course of international conflict for decades to come. Two of the same civilizations have clashed; it’s not only a war about territorial control and political leverage, but also has deep roots in historical mistrust and Soviet legacies.
What are we going to say about Sam Huntington’s “The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order” after this war?
Me: We might start talking about whether Ukraine has retained its full sovereignty, or only the parts where Russia’s military was pushed back, but what I don’t understand is how Ukraine is going to keep Russia out of its politics and markets in the long-term.
In response to my comment above, here’s what James said:
“The Russian language is fast disappearing from Ukraine — and it will continue to do so. Speaking it is an embarrassment, and the ability to do so confers little benefit in comparison with English — or French German or Italian…Sure, Russia will try to meddle in Ukrainian politics, but Ukrainians are pretty good at spotting the heavy hand of the Kremlin, as Trumpists in the USA cannot.”
I strongly disagree with the basis of this argument: Comparing Ukrainian politics to American politics is preposterous!
I doubt that James has ever been to Eastern Europe. As for me, I just climbed up a huge hill where one of Europe’s biggest Soviet-era monuments is located. Meanwhile, I spent the entire summer in a city that is now full of Ukrainian emigrants, all of whom are speaking Russian language and doing business in Russian language.
That’s why I don’t get this point — at all! I mean if we are going to talk about the next generations of Ukrainians, well, we might need to have a deeper discussion about where Russian language is used and for what purposes. From what I know, many Ukrainians speak Russian; moreover, Russian language is often used by the elite class of people in Ukraine who have deep business ties to the Russian elite class.
It might sound like easy propoganda to say — join Uncle Sam and do business with the great United States! — but that also comes with a heavy price, a price, which, I doubt the Ukrainian government or people would be able to afford once this war finally comes to an end. Russia will continue to be influential in Ukrainian affairs, so I ask: at what price are Ukrainians willing to give up on their business interests with Russia?
If you like my opinion about current affairs, check out some of the previous opinions I wrote for [The Weekend Brief] newsletter below:
