Tomorrow will mark two years since the onset of Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. With total casualties from the war approaching half a million, over ten million refugees and internally displaced people, billions of dollars spent on weapons, and continued heavy fighting, an end to this tremendous human suffering seems to be ever further away.
In the second year of this war, attempts to pursue a negotiated solution to the conflict seem to have been abandoned, and the rare diplomatic successes – such as the Black Sea Grain Initiative to transport Ukrainian grain – have collapsed. Ukrainian and Western officials still publicly insist on the full restoration of Ukraine’s territory within its 1991 borders. However, there are conversations within expert circles about solutions reminiscent of the divided Korean peninsula or divided Germany. Despite a lack of clarity as to the outcome of the war, discussions about the reconstruction of Ukraine persist, which gives a glimmer of hope for a future beyond the armed conflict. As one must never give up hope for peace.
Commemorating the second anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the IIP wants to put aside for a moment the military successes and failures of either side and the political implications of this catastrophic war for the international order - although they are hard to overstate. As we approach the seven hundred and thirtieth day of this brutal war, we want to emphasize the preciousness and fragility of human life. Our hearts and minds are with the ordinary men, women, and children who are experiencing loss, deprivation, fear, and sadness on a daily basis because of circumstances that are entirely out of their control. We mourn together with the families of deceased civilians and soldiers, grieve with parents separated from their children, and sympathize with those who have lost their homes and livelihoods. The war against Ukraine is a heartbreaking story developing in the middle of Europe, and, unfortunately, it is far from the only such story unfolding today. At the IIP, we will continue to draw attention to this and other conflicts in the hope that stronger public awareness will one day contribute to the cessation of unnecessary violence.