Johannesburg - Evidence abounds that world peace is rapidly being pushed to a cliff by self-serving geopolitics of our time, with Ukraine the microcosm of our path to a possible world war 3.
Discourse around Russia’s occupation of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant is the latest trigger in a probably protracted war that history will identify as the match that lit the flames that condemned global peace and stability to ashes.
Shelling around the nuclear plant has been sporadic yet dangerous. The Zaporizhzhia plant has been under the control of Russian forces since the early days of war that broke out on February 24. It is, however, run by Ukrainian engineers, and was briefly disconnected from the Ukraine power grid following disruptive shelling. Both Russia and Ukraine blame each other for the military activities adjacent to Zaporizhzhia plant, Europe’s largest nuclear power facility. In a broadside, Russia’s defence minister Sergei Shoigu accused Ukraine of “nuclear terrorism”.
The Kremlin further argues why it would shell a nuclear plant under the command of its forces, and risk the lives of Russian personnel to possible radiation?
In addition, pro-Russian authorities in Zaporizhzhia accused Kyiv of attempting to smuggle spies into the IAEA inspection team posing as journalists.
This week a team from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) visited Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant on a fact-finding mission.
While the IAEA’s 14-member team, led by the body’s chief Rafael Grossi, was busy carrying out their work inside the beleaguered plant, gunfire and shelling in the vicinity continued unabated. The IAEA delegation was given a tour of the facility by Russian forces, much to the protestation of the Kyiv’s administration of President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The Zelensky government accused Russia of manipulating and distorting information shared with the IAEA delegation. A statement released by Ukraine’s state-owned operator Energoatom, accused the Russian personnel in charge of the plant of “making every effort to prevent the IAEA mission from getting to know the real state of affairs. They spread manipulative and false information about the visit”.
President Zelensky in a public address after the visit accused Russia of stage-managing the visit, and lamented Russia’s refusal to allow “international journalists” into the plant. Said Zelensky: “When we met Mr Grossi and members of the mission in Kyiv, we agreed that the mission would be accompanied from Ukrainian and international media. Unfortunately, this wasn’t done. Although it was promised.”
Although President Zelensky blamed the barring of the media on the Kremlin, he did not spare the IAEA either, which he blamed “for failing to protect the representatives of independent media”.
After the tour the IAEA team noted that the “physical integrity of the nuclear power plant has been violated”.
The IAEA has since resolved to establish an indefinite presence inside Zaporizhzhia plant in an endeavour to avert a possible disaster.
Any shelling in the vicinity of the nuclear power plant underlines the risk of a potential nuclear accident. It is commendable that the delegation of the IAEA, a UN body, has been granted the permission into the plant by Russia. However, for peace’s sake, all sides have to see no bias or preconceived outcomes about the inspection.
The US, EU and Nato are the protagonists in the Ukraine conflict. They are invested hugely into the war – their proxy war – against Russia. Massive military weapons, intelligence services, personnel – covertly and overtly, billions of dollars and euros and been invested into the coffers of the Zelensky administration to shore it up against Russia.
There is hardly any talk of peace from the forces the breathe oxygen into the conflict. The more it continues, the more it suits their geopolitical objective of annihilating Russia.
The sad truth is that if any shelling in the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant should go awry, radiation knows no boundaries.
Radiation also recognises no ideology or power bloc, nor does it recognise the nationality of humans. In the worst case scenario where the pursuit of imperial objectives and geopolitical agendas triumph over the desire to safeguard universal stability and global peaceful coexistence, all those exposed to radiation would perish indiscriminately.
Narrow political agendas are sad when pursued at all costs. This week, the EU member-states were dispatching radiation tablets to Ukraine – just in case.
In their short-sightedness, however, they disregard the wisdom of dialogue. The power to sit around the same table and iron out the differences. Where they may not agree, at least then agree to disagree and move on without any threat to either side.
All wars recorded in history books have one feature in common. They begin with a misunderstanding and end up in the signing of a peace treaty. The pursuit of a truce in a war is the beginning of wisdom. It saves lives, the environment and indeed the planet. The Ukraine conflict is no exception. My fear is that before it is declared over, untold loss of lives would have been recorded, a country (read Ukraine) destroyed, all corners of the world unsafe and political decision-makers of today expressing regret that it had to get that far before it was halted.
For their dubious role in the Ukraine conflict the EU this week further announced restrictions on the facilitation of visas to their bloc by Russian citizens.
The unilateral suspension of the “visa facilitation agreement between the EU and Russia” means putting an abrupt end to the age-old practice of giving Russian citizens preferential treatment when applying for an EU visa. The latest move is part of the US-led EU’s wide-ranging package of unprecedented sanctions imposed on Russia since the Ukraine conflict broke out in February.
Very little has been done by the EU to bring about an end to the war. The world is primarily exposed to the bloc’s belligerent attitude to the Kremlin.
In essence, it is the ordinary citizens of Russia who are the central targets of the Western sanctions and restrictions. These are the citizens who have absolutely nothing to do with the political decisions at play, yet they are the main recipients of the EU’s harsh punishment.
But in return, truth to be told, the EU is also making life horrendous for their citizens, many who have business and other dealings with Russia in an interconnected and interdependent world order.
No doubt, the Kremlin is not going to retaliate concomitantly. The world and unsuspecting citizens are trapped in a geopolitical hell of a merry-go-round. Winter is fast approaching in Europe. Russia is constantly reducing its gas supplies to the bloc. Expect a total shutdown in the middle of winter, and a rapid change of governments expedited by a string of violent protests by exasperated citizens finally intolerant of the self-serving politicians.