How to deal with Russia
On Monday, November 14, 2022, the United Nations approved of a resolution demanding Russia pay reparations for the war in Ukraine. While there is justification in this resolution, and Ukraine will need to be rebuilt and reinvigorated, there is a looming concern. The peace and ensuing negotiations will be, in my opinion, one of the greatest diplomatic endeavors of the century.
When diplomats eventually convene to narrow the scope on Russia’s actions, in order to determine what they are responsible for and therefore what they owe, they must consider the 2014 Ukraine Crisis and the kinetic Russo-Ukrainian War as one conflict. If this is done, the logical conclusion is that Russia should pay reparations to Ukraine.
The reason some sort of punishment administered by an international organization is good is because without it, Russia cannot be expected to adhere to international norms (or should I say ideals?). In other words, precedent needs reset; if you want to play ball, you have to play by the rules.
All that being said, the great diplomatic endeavor we are soon to face comes with a controversial consideration: Russia has, historically, been a pariah and challenge for Europe and the United States (from the perspective of Russia’s neighboring regions, like Central Asia and the Caucasus, the history has also been unpleasant. For the sake of this article, however, we will focus on the West for two reasons: The current world order is Western and the West will be leading the “post-war reset”).
So what exactly is the controversial idea? It is this: finding a way to make Russia pay what it owes, without totally capitulating, isolating, and excluding the Russian state.
This is an extremely controversial statement, and I think sentiment on social media is representative of that. Conflict with Russia, historically, has rapidly developed broad sweeping Russophobia. The current war in Ukraine is no exception.
So with that idea in mind, NATO and its supporters in the UN have an important task; finding a just, lasting peace in Ukraine and allowing — and perhaps aiding Russia — in reforming a state and culture that will not be prone to a mid-21st century rise in nationalist revanchism. As is so common in modern commentaries, I think looking at the failures of Versailles, the ensuing failure of Weimar, and the rise of national socialism in Germany is a perfect example of what must be avoided with Russia. Why? Because the events that followed eventually defined the remaining half of the 20th century.
Now, that may not seem so bad to some people. Afterall, history is culturally at the wayside, and nuclear Armageddon was avoided, but nevertheless the Cold War was a dangerous and risky period of human history. In terms of open wars alone, there were seven major ones; all bloody, and some totally avoidable.
To delve into the history of Russia from the days of the Tsars onward would be interesting, but the memory of the Cold War should suffice. And it was after the collapse of the USSR that the people and leaders of the West rejoiced, and hoped that Russia would once and for all correct the trajectory it made prior — that it would democratize, modernize, open up economically and socially, and join the West. None of that happened, and a period of Russophobia continued alongside Russian aggressions in the shape of wars, assassinations, election meddling, etc.
The Russia we need to come out of this war is up to our making. By all accounts, the next two thirds of this century are looking to be tumultuous years. A Russia that remains fragmented, resentful, weak, and desperate is not one we can afford to contend with anymore. Russia’s place will help define competition in this century.
So perhaps it is in the West’s interest to look to work with Russia, not outright exclude it.
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SIDENOTE: A point I was unable to skillfully add is that there is a great deal of support for democratization, Westernization, civil liberties, and anti-war sentiment within Russia. We cannot simply ignore and forget the brave Russians who have spoken up and suffered under their regime for doing so.
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