As world leaders descend on New York once again for the United Nations General Assembly, it feels that the world is more unstable than it has been for many years, with dozens of countries embroiled in armed conflict, and democracy and freedom in decline.
It’s against this backdrop of daunting global challenges that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will address the U.N. tomorrow, as he has done every year since Russia’s unprovoked invasion of his country in February 2022. Now, more than ever, it is vital that Ukraine remains at the forefront of global debate.
The past few years have brought dramatic upheavals, from Gaza to Sudan. Radical changes in U.S. policy following the re-election of President Donald Trump have weakened Ukraine’s defences and shifted responsibility to Europe and its remaining Western allies, who are now under immense pressure to stay united against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s imperial goals.
What hasn’t changed is the ferocity of Russia’s assault on Ukraine.
Russian attacks continue to maim and kill women, children, and the elderly with frequency and impunity. Missile attacks continue to rain down on Kyiv and other cities in Ukraine, whilst the latest show of aggression saw Polish and Romanian airspace breached by Russian drones. These are further signs that far from tempering Putin’s ambitions, the failed diplomatic efforts of the last months have only emboldened him to engage in increasingly more brazen brinkmanship to test the West’s resolve.
While Western condemnations of Putin’s actions are plentiful, it remains to be seen just how much more aggression it will take for America and Europe to reunite and confront Putin with the full range of measures at their disposal, from effective and strictly enforced sanctions targeting Russia’s war economy to asset seizures and unconditional weapons support. It’s the only way of forcing Putin to the negotiating table.
Whatever happens next, it won’t undo the enormous sacrifices Ukraine’s brave people have had to make already. Now in its fourth year, the war has cost hundreds of thousands of lives, on the frontlines and in communities across the country. More than 80,000 Ukrainians are in need of a prosthetic as a result of the war. It’s a figure likely to increase significantly, as Ukraine is now also the most landmine-contaminated country in the world, with almost 30% of its territory affected–an area larger than the entire country of Greece.
It’s hard to overstate the danger large-scale landmine-contamination creates for civilians. From Cambodia to Afghanistan, landmine contamination has traumatised entire generations, and the toll on Ukraine is already significant. It takes just three seconds for a a landmine to detonate (which is also the same average amount of time most people spend on a social media post). Imagine having to say goodbye to your loved ones in three seconds. Now imagine the incredible resilience of the Ukrainian people and the “Superhumans” who are fighting for all of us.
The horrors of war are real and we must never stop highlighting what millions of brave Ukrainians continue to endure every day. Their struggle wasn’t a choice, their suffering not inevitable.
Now, responsibility rests with Putin alone. He could end this war tomorrow, and he must be brought to account for what he wrought. For that to happen, we must all play our part. Let’s unite behind Ukraine, keep their struggle at the center of the world’s attention, and prove that together, we can shape a better, freer world where sovereignty and self-determination have real meaning.
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