THIS is with reference to the article ‘War in Ukraine’ (June 23), which attempted to justify Pakistan’s neutral stance on the Russia-Ukraine war with arguments that were not convincing. For instance, the portrayal of the war as a ‘crisis in Ukraine’ is flawed as it is a term that downplays Russia’s blatant act of aggression and falsely implies shared responsibility.
The narrative that Russia was ‘provoked’ by NATO expansion conveniently ignores the sovereign will of the former Eastern European countries and Soviet republics that have actively sought NATO member-ship as a safeguard. Ukraine has never been nominated as a candidate for NATO membership, and it has never received an invitation to join.
Recent facts unveil Russia’s true attitude to NATO enlargement. After Finland and Sweden joined NATO, Russia unilaterally demilitarised the Finnish border and withdrew a significant number of troops from the region. This confirms that Moscow has no serious security concerns in this regard.
The said article also suggested that Pakistan must choose sides between the West and a Russia-China bloc. This is a simplistic notion that contradicts the very idea of neutrality. Pakistan, as a sovereign nation, should not base its foreign policy on the dictates of other capitals.
The Russia-Ukraine war is not merely a regional dispute, but a pivotal moment that will reshape the future of international relations. A Russian victory could embolden other states to pursue territorial ambitions through military force, signalling a dangerous erosion of the rules-based international order.
Has the West itself always acted in line with a rules-based order? To be fair, we have to admit that it has not always done so. But even if such irregularities did occur in the past, they cannot be used to justify Russia’s aggression against Ukraine today.
It would be incorrect to view the issues being discussed solely through the lens of geopolitical strategies, ignoring the moral dimensions. Turning a blind eye to blatant acts of aggression, violence and oppression is not neutrality; it is a tacit acceptance of evil. Choosing silence in the face of such suffering makes one complicit.
By opting for neutrality, Pakistan risks contributing to a world where power dictates what is right. Condemning a war of aggression is not just a matter of abstract principle, but a matter of strategic foresight and Pakistan’s national interest. Upholding international law and resisting aggression are crucial investments in a stable and peaceful future; a future that Pakistan, along with the rest of the world, desperately needs and deserves.
MARKIIAN CHUCHUK
AMBASSADOR EXTRAORDINARY AND PLENIPOTENTIARY OF UKRAINE TO PAKISTAN
