Another failure of diplomacy

 The war in Ukraine is yet another failure of diplomacy. This war is a cruel waste of soldier and civilian lives with all the disruption that this brings. Tens of thousands of people have lost their homes and have been forced to become refugies. The whole conflict is a futile waste of effort and money which will achieve little if anything but stalemate. The conflict and suffering could go on for years and achieve little but suffering.

A solution could have been negotiated based on neutrality for Ukraine coupled with perhaps joint sovereignty by Russia and Ukraine over the disputed territories of the Donbass and Crimea.  But nationalism in both countries and the desire for absolute sovereignty have got in the way. Nationalism is a dangerous concept wherever it rears its ugly head. And, the belief in absolute sovereignty is equally as dangerous.

It is clear that Russia would be severely defeated if  ever it came into conventional warfare with Nato, which has vastly superior weaponry and economic resources. Russian politicians are aware of this, so that maybe why Russia is so determined not to allow Ukraine to become a  member of NATO. Fear may also be just as much a driving factor in Russian calculations as irredentism. A peaceful settlement could have been negotiated  which could have been guaranteed by Nato without Ukraine joining the Western Alliance. It is probably not possible now to negotiate an equitable peace settlement. One side or the other will have to be defeated before they sue for peace. This is unfortunate for both sides.

This war has been a complete waste of money , money which could have been spent helping the poorer nations of the world. Unfortunately, many of the world's politicians are hell bent wasting money on wars and needless social conflict whilst being driven on by  their nationalist communities. Sometimes I despair for the human race and its future.