Will There Be A Third World War?

Many people have a variety of thoughts and opinions regarding the recent Russian invasion of Ukraine. Some people believe that America will inevitably be involved, while others strongly believe that America and other countries won’t directly respond due to the fear of a nuclear war. People also believe that Putin had every right to do it while other people think that it was a barbaric act and violated international humanitarian laws. The way I see it is that it was inhumane and Putin only did this so that he could have more power and have fear installed in not only his citizens but foreigners as well.

On Feb. 21, 2022, Russia sent troops to Ukraine to perform “Peacekeeping duties” as a way to officially recognize Ukraine as an independent nation. However, on Feb. 24, 2022, Russia attacked, resulting in a devastating number of deaths. During Putin’s first address he stated, “Modern Ukraine was entirely created by Russia, more precisely, Bolshevik, communist Russia. This process began immediately after the revolution of 1917…” However, their forms of government are different from Russia’s being a fascist, oligarchy whereas Ukraine is a form of democracy. This was one of Putin’s reasons for attacking Ukraine. Another key reason would be Ukraine’s interest in joining NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), and Putin viewed it as a “hostile act.” Putin even went as far as to give NATO a list of security demands that NATO didn’t follow. Another important factor for this invasion was Russia having previous conflicts with Ukraine, the most notable being the Revolution of Dignity. All in all, there are multiple reasons that give Russia’s reasoning being justifiable, but the majority of people believe there is a bigger objective.

In Biden’s response to the invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 25, 2022, he stated, “We have been transparent with the world, we have shared declassified evidence about the Russian plans and cyber attacks so there can be no confusion or cover-up about what Putin was doing. Putin is the aggressor. Putin chose this war, and now he and his country will bear the consequences.” Biden was very adamant on how inhumane this act was and tried to reassure Americans that he stands with them. He later adds that “Russia will be a sanctioned country.” Many countries cut ties with the Russian government in an attempt to harm Russia’s economy. Even Switzerland broke its neutrality by sanctioning Russia, which led to a devastating drop in their economy. This also impacted the other countries that contributed to sanctioning Russia. Speaking on a national level, Russia did greatly affect America as seen from the gas prices rising, the stock market instantly dropping, and the foreign policy getting altered.

Following the invasion, there have been protests urging Russia to stop the war and show support for Ukraine in this troubled time all throughout the world. Even in the country of Russia itself, there are protests where Russians are telling Putin and their government to stop. Unfortunately, this generally ends up with those individuals getting arrested. Prior to the invasion, it was well known that the Russian government has treated its citizens unfairly, as shown by Russia blacklisting citizens if they speak out about how corrupt their government is.

On March 16, 2022, NN Journalists Tim Lister and Sebastian Shukla updated an article regarding the recent capture of three Russian soldiers in Ukraine, in this article they expressed their regret and detest for their actions against Ukraine at a conference where companies like CNN covered this event. Due to safety reasons they only used their first names. Maxim, an officer and fighter-bomber pilot, responded to Putin’s claim on Ukraine being run by neo-Nazis by viewing it as a pretext for something we cannot understand and later said, “But Putin and his circle need this in order to achieve their own objectives. One such step was that it would be beneficial for them to spread disinformation about fascism and Nazism,” he said. He later expressed his feelings toward the bombing of orphanages, hospitals, schools, and other civilian facilities. “It’s not just about demilitarizing Ukraine or the defeat of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, but now cities of peaceful civilians are being destroyed. Even I don’t know what can justify the tears of a child, or even worse, the deaths of innocent people, children,” Maxim said. “It was a horrifying fact, not just because it is a crime. It’s vandalism. You cannot forgive such things. To bomb a maternity ward?” he said.

Regarding the U.S, it is very well known that Russia and America do not share the best relationship. This is mainly due to the Cold War conflict, which occurred in the late 1940s and lasted until the late 1980s. Although war ended between the U.S and Russia, the tension still stands to this day. Considering this and many other factors, many people believe that the U.S will go to war with Russia. Personally, I don’t think the United States will get involved. There are only two ways in which America would go to war with Russia. One reason would be if Russia invaded another country that’s a part of NATO. The second reason would be if Russia continues to act suspiciously with the newly acquired nuclear weapons and power plants that are in Ukraine. Unfortunately, the only thing we can do is support Ukraine to the best of our ability by donating to programs that help the country and its citizens. These programs are aiding Ukrainian citizens by giving them medical supplies and food, as well as helping them escape. For those who are interested, some programs that accept donations for Ukraine include the American Red Cross, the UNHCR, Sunflower of Peace, UNICEF, CARE, and countless more.

Even though some people will view America and other powerful countries as cowards for not getting involved in this conflict, people should take into account the disaster a third world war would bring based on the modern technology and nuclear warfare that are more accessible now than ever. However, if people are still displeased with the actions that the government is taking, there are still ways that individuals can get involved. One way would be taking part in protests against Russia’s invasion. I highly suggest this along with donating to the programs I listed above.