Latent between the midpoint of east and west, and sitting on the precipice of anticipation, lies Ukraine. 

As Russian troops drudge along from radicalized separatist regions trying to assimilate Ukraine into an authoritarian Russian regime, sending the country wailing into the perspiring jaws of the east once again. With this invasion, Putin has challenged the sovereignty of Ukraine. 

Putin as stated on multiple occasions Ukraine was never really a country, always the center point of Russia’s eastern monopoly. The fact of the matter is thus with Russia has and will continue to undermine basic sovereign relations associated with Ukraine partly in due fact because of the pride of its leader, Vladimir Putin. 

Western powers will not submit to Russian imitation, however; and Germany has already shut down the north stream pipeline, a deal that would have lucrative implications for both countries. 

What’s more surprising is the temperament brought about by Germans (by this I mean the insulation of how quick the German republic broke ties with the Russian-backed pipeline). Biden and his compartments seem lost on how to handle the situation. Sanctions as mentioned in the prior article were and still are the most valuable asset to consider looking at Russia. Yet the sanctions imposed are quickly losing the gripe of the Russian government and falling more upon the Russian people as a whole. Which begs the proper question, how do we slow down Russia, or how does Ukraine cease this invasion? 

Kyiv has been bombarded with air drone missiles and covering over a three-mile radius of trucks filled with loaded and weaponized artillery. President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelinskyy has stated in a recent meeting with the press, “he didn’t expect much,” coming out of many of the meetings with Russia and other diplomatic leaders. His euphemisms proved more accurate than expected with Kremlin officials who were representatives of Moscow for the peace talks even going so far as to complain about the time etiquette of Ukrainian officials. 

Tumultuous geopolitical struggles have never been the defining line between the east and west sides of the world. Yet, the challenges offered by President Putin and his regime more than reciprocate one underlying fact, unity amongst the western powers. Germany has increased military spending to a whopping hundred billion euros flying weapons in and out of Ukraine for armed support. Traditionally hesitant nations like Japan and Hungary have morally condemned Putin’s actions and imposed mass sanctions on Russia. More deeply squeezing into the economic end of things, branded names such as McDonald’s, Starbucks, and Visa/Mastercard have pulled their operations out of Russia. What’s important to mention is that no inkling of American governmental control was needed to re-establish moral order within Russia. 

Economically, the situation is at its worst for Russia. At the State of the Union on the first of March, Biden declared he would squeeze the Russian oligarchs with sanctions, stopping at nothing to put an end to Putin’s inner circle. What’s more surprising is the girth and time frame the dissolution of Russia’s currency happened. At this point, Russia’s interest has hiked up to 20 percent and seems only to be on the rise. Russians in Leningrad, Moscow,  and St. Petersburg are in a desperate scramble to secure their assets. 

One question remains prompt in the minds of many following the crisis. When will Kyiv fall? Or how long until Ukraine itself falls? Russian troops are entering into the hardest phase of all combative warfare that being, of course, urban. Many experts believe this is where Russia will begin to wane exceptionally. Morally, Russian troops are already beginning to call into question the reason for the invasion of Ukraine. Already a handful of Russian troops have come out and pleaded guilty to the unprompted invasion bolstered by the Kremlin. 

To maintain some level of innocence within Moscow, Putin and his thugs deviate from the current narrative for common invasions, stating the conflict arises through “protection of Ukrainian citizens” against the “Neo-Nazis regime” (Ukrainian Government).  Yet, this doesn’t explain Russia’s unwillingness to avoid civilian targets, such as how they bombed a maternity hospital in Mariupol that produced multiple casualties (many of which being women and children).

What’s more so telling about this is the fact that Putin and China are losing their grip on each other’s end goals within their given inner circles. Putin seems unfazed by remote aggravated assaults upon the west, while the CCP* is morally fouled by the steps Putin has taken to secure Ukraine. 

Within these molding cinders, there is a saving grace: President Zelinskyy and Ukrainian nationalism are starkly waiting with some level of hope to receive foreign backing, and for the most part, some form of this has been delivered. European and other western allies have delivered a steep sum of weaponry starting with the US dropping a 200 million dollar defense bill investing in Ukraine’s defenses. Many of the weapons consisted of anti-aircraft guns given to Afghan rebels during another Soviet invasion, the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in 1979. 

As for the fate of Ukraine? Better men have tried to challenge the sovereignty of land that holds no more real significance to them than a rotten toenail. Putin’s desperation to validate his invasion (make no mistake this is his invasion alone) comes from asphyxiation so unworldly rotten it contains no validation whatsoever.

In other words, Putin’s invasion of Ukraine stems from an idea he perceives that Ukraine should take on. He begs after the Russian ideal, gratified since the Soviet Union came to birth. Also, conceive of that fact the Russian people cannot rebel, partly because sanctions are a senseless part of geopolitical cannon fodder. The Ukrainians will continue to hold out, however, surviving the Russian tirade so long as their nationalism remains firm. 

*Chinese Communist Party