• New York
  • Politics
  • U.S.
    • Education
  • World
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment
    • Music
  • Tech
  • Business
  • Health
  • Lifestyle
    • Fashion
    • Travel
    • Food
  • Sports
  • Science
Wednesday, May 25, 2022
  • Login
  • Register
NYC Daily Post
  • New York
  • Politics
  • U.S.
    • Education
  • World
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment
    • Music
  • Tech
  • Business
  • Health
  • Lifestyle
    • Fashion
    • Travel
    • Food
  • Sports
  • Science
No Result
View All Result
  • New York
  • Politics
  • U.S.
    • Education
  • World
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment
    • Music
  • Tech
  • Business
  • Health
  • Lifestyle
    • Fashion
    • Travel
    • Food
  • Sports
  • Science
No Result
View All Result
NYC Daily Post
No Result
View All Result
Home Opinion

War in Ukraine: the shock heard round the world

by Steven London
February 26, 2022
in Opinion, Politics, World
Reading Time: 4min read
0
War in Ukraine: the shock heard round the world
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

|Opinion|

In the predawn hours of February 24, I awoke to the shock of Europe at war. Russian military forces invaded the sovereign nation of Ukraine, ending 70-plus years of relative peace on the European continent. I find myself asking: where does responsibility for the war in Ukraine lie?

When I consider the word responsibility, I recall Richard Pimentel’s definition. To summarize his point, responsibility is made up of two words – response and ability. Responsibility asks of us: given our abilities, what is our response to those abilities?

The Onus of Responsibility

In Ukraine’s rapidly evolving geopolitical conflict with Russia, the actors involved each embrace a distinct perspective of responsibility. Putin justifies his view of responsibility to pursue “the function of peace keeping” throughout Ukraine. For Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy, his responsibility lies in staying to defend Ukraine, while pleading for support from the international community. The West and its allies limit their current responsibility to sanctions and calls for support, while maintaining self-imposed distances from the war.

So, who bears responsibility for the war in Ukraine? The answer: in unequal measure, the West and its allies, along with Putin, have provoked war in Ukraine. The West’s provocation of Putin’s regime for decades, coupled with Putin’s military ventures into Georgia in 2008 and Crimea in 2014, with limited consequences, has led to the current war in Ukraine. And now Ukraine shoulders the responsibility of defending its sovereignty as the world watches.

The Consequences of War

The war in Ukraine is not isolated to the eastern flank of the European continent. The long-held view of Ukraine’s untenable position as a buffer state between the rest of Europe and Russia must be addressed. The war, and its outcome, pose multiple precedents for the global community.

Photo by Humphrey Muleba on Unsplash

As the world awaits the outcome of Putin’s invasion into Ukraine, the global community must prepare for an impending geopolitical power shift. If Ukraine successfully defends its sovereignty, the case for NATO and EU expansion strengthens, dealing a blow to Putin’s influence. If Ukraine loses to Putin’s forces, the validity of NATO and the EU weakens, and Ukraine’s future (and other countries) will likely linger at Putin’s will.

For these reasons, and others, Ukraine must win its fight against its aggressors. In this David-versus-Goliath battle, the spectators currently on the sidelines (read: the West and its allies) need to shift their support to Ukraine through action, not only words. Action doesn’t necessarily equate to direct military support, but can include logistical and medical assistance. As a concerned citizen, you can take action to bolster Ukraine’s logistical and medical support and financial assistance in its war efforts.

War is Not a New Problem

I’m reminded of Charlie Chaplin’s speech in The Great Dictator and one of its impactful lines: “The hate of men will pass, and dictators die, and the power they took from the people will return to the people. And so long as men die, liberty will never perish…”

I find Chaplin’s words embody the spirit of war in Ukraine. Military members and citizens throughout Ukraine are sacrificing their lives in defense of that liberty and their collective sovereignty. Their sacrifice must be shared by the EU and NATO member states. If Europe seeks its own collective sovereignty, it too must defend Ukraine. Ukraine is Europe. Any loss of sovereignty affects the whole of Europe.

Final Thoughts

Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP

Dale Wimbrow’s poem The Man in the Mirror encapsulates my strata of thought about Ukraine’s struggle against Putin. At the end of the day, I have a responsibility to choose a side, and pass the judgment of the man in the glass, myself. And I choose the side of sovereignty and freedom for Ukraine.

As the Editor-in-Chief of the NYC Daily Post, my responsibilities extend beyond my credentials. I have a responsibility to empower the perspectives of others, in seeking truth, and advocating for dialog and the ensuing action it spurs. As a former soldier, and more importantly, a fellow human being, I empathize with Ukraine in its struggle to maintain the sovereignty and freedom of its people. Without hesitation, I support Ukraine and its efforts. I hope you will also.

Mr. Zelenskiy, and citizens of Ukraine, I stand with you.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)

Like this:

Like Loading...
Tags: European Uniongeopolitical orderNATOPutinPutin’s invasionUkraine crisisVolodymyr Zelenskywar
Steven London

Steven London

Related Posts

Why would Putin’s Russia do this to Ukraine?

Why would Putin’s Russia do this to Ukraine?

by Joe McGraw
April 7, 2022
0

As footage rolls in of Russian T-90 tanks scurrying across the Ukrainian border, many are left with a shaken worldview....

Did Russian jets carry nuclear weapons into Swedish airspace?

by The NYC Daily Post Editorial Staff
March 31, 2022
0

MILITARY Swedish broadcaster TV4 reported on Wednesday that the Russian jets that violated Swedish airspace this month were carrying...

Migrants Fleeing Hurricanes and Drought Face New Climate Disasters in ICE Detention

by The NYC Daily Post Editorial Staff
March 31, 2022
0

When Hurricane Laura slammed into Louisiana in the summer of 2020, it was the strongest storm in the state...

TPM’s Associate Publisher Jackie Wilhelm: Five Myths For the Feminist

by The NYC Daily Post Editorial Staff
March 31, 2022
0

We’re asking our fellow TPMers to share their own personal reading recommendations: books they love or that have shaped...

China’s economy hit by double whammy in March

by The NYC Daily Post Editorial Staff
March 31, 2022
0

The official manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) fell to 49.5 from 50.2 in February, the National Bureau of Statistics...

‘We Have to Look for Longer’

by The NYC Daily Post Editorial Staff
March 31, 2022
0

Warning: Some of the photos may contain graphic or objectionable content.“Words,” the journalist Sebastian Junger once wrote, “are often...

Next Post

Eles queriam ‘ucranizar o Brasil’. Mas tiveram de engolir Putin

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Recommended

Biden’s Pick for Justice Dept. No. 3 Wins Backing of Law Enforcement

1 year ago

Billionaire Paul Tudor Jones tests positive for COVID after NYC gala

7 months ago

Popular News

  • Tom Cruise insisted ‘driving force’ Val Kilmer appear in ‘Top Gun’ sequel

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Greenwich Village woman allegedly punches elderly roommate, then slaps cop

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Prior victim of alleged Chinatown killer Assamad Nash says ‘Lock him up!’

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Man with ‘world’s biggest penis’ stuns hosts with explicit pic

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Porn star Emily Willis sues competitors over alleged dog-sex tweets

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Newsletter

Get the latest news from the US and around the world in your inbox.
SUBSCRIBE

Category

  • Business
  • Education
  • Entertainment
  • Fashion
  • Food
  • Health
  • Lifestyle
  • Music
  • New York
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • Science
  • Sports
  • Tech
  • Travel
  • U.S.
  • World

Site Links

  • Home
  • Meet our leadership
  • Newsletter
  • Submit an Article

The New York City Daily Post

Welcome to the world’s premier daily news platform. We bring you the latest news from the US and around the world right at your fingertips.

  • New York
  • Politics
  • U.S.
  • World
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment
  • Tech
  • Business
  • Health
  • Lifestyle
  • Sports
  • Science

© 2021. The NYC Daily Post. All rights reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • New York
  • Politics
  • U.S.
    • Education
  • World
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment
    • Music
  • Tech
  • Business
  • Health
  • Lifestyle
    • Fashion
    • Travel
    • Food
  • Sports
  • Science

© 2021. The NYC Daily Post. All rights reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
 

Loading Comments...
 

    loading Cancel
    Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
    Email check failed, please try again
    Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.
    %d bloggers like this: