Why Ukraine is lucky

1. We are part of the European community and being recognized as part of the civilized world has had a significant impact on the level of empathy extended towards us.

2. Our enemy is so twisted that, in addition to being a local threat, it has managed to become part of the threat to the security of the whole world. And so defeating it is now the common goal for those who help us.

Some may feel that the sympathy and support extended to us could have been stronger and more decisive. In an ideal and more just world, the response might have been different. 

But I continuously stress that we have been receiving a record amount of aid for 15 months now, and it has been delivered in an unprecedentedly short period of time. Although we have every right to demand more, because we want to live in a better world than it is now.

"But I continuously stress that we have been receiving a record amount of aid for 15 months now, and it has been delivered in an unprecedentedly short period of time. Although we have every right to demand more, because we want to live in a better world than it is now”

But if the situation were different for us and the circumstances were less favorable, here a few examples from the last 40 years when someone was less fortunate to reflect on:

1. Kurds and Marsh Arabs in Hussein's Iraq. Genocide. No punishment. It was only when Iraq's occupation of Kuwait, a US ally, and the threat to Saudi Arabia and other partners emerged that action was taken. However, addressing Hussein's regime only became a priority when political expediency dictated so.

2. Western Sahara. A disputed territory where Morocco has maintained control for over 40 years, despite the UN's demand for a referendum on self-determination. Morocco's control over the region has continued without significant consequences.

3. East Timor. It was occupied by Indonesia for more than 30 years. Repression of Catholics. Police regime. De-occupied with great difficulty. No consequences for Indonesia.

4. The Kurdish population in general. This divided nation of 40 million has faced ongoing oppression and destruction, often televised for the world to witness. Even after the fall of Saddam Hussein, the mistreatment of Kurds continues, with figures like Erdogan effectively continuing this trend. There has been no response from the international community.

5. Africa has witnessed a series of horrifying crimes against humanity, with the Tutsi genocide being one of the most devastating examples. The world's response to these atrocities was delayed, and significant attention was only drawn when the death toll reached tens of thousands. And Tutsis are not Ukrainians. There are only 2 million of them.

Not to mention the countless smaller and lesser-known stories. Or exclusively internal examples of dictatorship, persecution on ethnic or religious grounds without resorting to direct genocide in the traditional sense. This is true regarding China in relation to Uighurs or Tibetans. There are usually no consequences at all.

Furthermore, Ukraine, among other countries, responded to such cases very mildly, or rather, it did not respond at all. Economic interests seemed to take precedence, or perhaps there was a reluctance to engage in conflicts or confrontations. Or it just did not care. The latter is more common.

“Let's be honest about our circumstances. We are lucky to find ourselves in our current position, with an adversary that many are tired of. And this is our luck. This is good” 

Let's be honest about our circumstances. We are lucky to find ourselves in our current position, with an adversary that many are tired of. And this is our luck. This is good.

However, it is not productive to be resentful towards countries that we previously didn't pay much attention to, as they are now trying to exploit our war for their own interests. Moving forward, we should focus on engaging in diplomatic efforts worldwide, a practice we have neglected until recently. By and large, it is only in the last year and a half that we have acknowledged that there is a world beyond Europe and North America.

A good lesson for us.

Source

About the author. Yury Bogdanov, publicist, specialist in strategic communications in business, public administration and politics.

The editorial staff do not always share the opinions expressed by the blog authors.