Ukraine war entered the third day with Kyiv, the capital, besieged by Russian troops. The Russian war’s development is guided by security and economic orientations across the world.
Early hours of Thursday marked the beginning of another devastating, bloody war, this time in Europe. People across Ukraine sought secure places to save their lives, while the world was starting to condemn, to pray.
The second night passed to the sound of blasts, explosions and scream across the country. Russian forces pressed deep into the Ukrainian soils from air, sea and land. The war had already claimed 175 lives while the number of displaced people outnumbered 100 thousand.
The offensive went on for the third day while the Russian troops tightened the grip on the capital in early hours. After a torrent of air raids on towns and military sites across Ukraine, Russian troops have pressed in on Kyiv in a seemingly encircling strategy.
Several artillery explosions could be heard in the city in the early hours of Saturday, originating from an unknown site some miles away from the city center.
Signals of the moves to stop the aggression was prevalent on Friday, but later developments were disappointing. Ukrainian president’s call for popular mobilization and his nationalistic stance to keep the capital might complicate the condition.
Through posting multiple videos on his personal accounts, Zelenskyy reiterated his remaining in the capital to fight for the nation. This is while some reports had referred to his departure from the city or the country.
Ukraine war has proved enlightening in global politics, with the responses from western allies acting as a disillusionment. From condemnation to imposing scattered sanctions, which is yet to target Putin, the West preferred to stand aside. In the Middle East, the responses proved more diverse.
Ukraine war; Worldwide Negligence
Ukraine war started amid disappointing intervention by countries who had pledged to safeguard Ukrainian security in 1990s. The United States started with praying and kept up with non-inclusive sanctions against Russia.
European allies like the UK and Germany followed the same route expressing regret and calling for termination of aggression. On the European front, the sanctions threat was more immediate, but less impressive.
In the Middle East, responses were a mingling of various feelings, from sympathy (with both sides) to regret, threat and negligence. Middle Eastern countries have long been involved in various wars, ranging from Yemen to Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran and Kuwait (the last two in earlier decades).
Europe experience the first major land aggression in Europe in seven decades. This is while the Middle East has passed no decade without a hostility, mostly launched or perpetrated by the West. Europe is within the hole it has dug for others during the years.
As such, the Middle East’s response to the aggression in Ukraine has attempted to what it received before. From Iran to Syria and UAE, the region has highlighted the provocative movements of NATO in instigating the violence.
The clearest response, so far, came from UAE when Abu Dhabi Abstained in a UN resolution against Russia. China and India also followed the track on Friday, while Russia thwarted the initiative by a Veto.
Aside from the UN session, Iran, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, UAE, Israel, and Saudi Arabia avoided taking clear side. The countries, enjoying good economic ties with Moscow, actually abstained from siding in the war.
The message is clear; the West has prayed for and condemned the aggressions in the region during years. It’s time to pay back with praying for Kyiv and condemning aggression. You reap what you sow.
