NEARLY two months after the Russian army invaded Ukraine, the first ‘victory’ of sorts has emerged for Moscow. According to reports, Russian forces have taken the industrial port of Mariupol, though thousands of Ukrainian fighters remain holed up inside a steel plant. The development comes after Russian troops were unable to completely take over Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, following stiff resistance from defenders. Though it was being presumed early on that Moscow would swiftly neutralise Ukrainian forces, the latter — aided by weapons shipped by their Western allies and defending familiar turf — have proven a tough nut to crack for Russia. Concerning the immediate situation in Mariupol, as per some media accounts, corpses have been left on the streets while the city’s infrastructure has been pulverised by Russian bombardment as Moscow’s foes have accused it of committing war crimes. Will Moscow ensure that civilians are not harmed and enemy combatants are treated as per international norms? It hardly seems likely.

Beyond Mariupol, the situation in Ukraine does not inspire confidence where a negotiated settlement to the crisis is concerned. Several rounds of peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv have been held, though none have borne fruit. The Kremlin says it has sent a fresh peace proposal to Kyiv; the Ukrainian side says it has received no such document. To prevent further civilian suffering, an immediate ceasefire needs to take effect. Moscow must realise that continuous military actions against its western neighbour will only compound human misery, while the Western supporters of Ukraine also need to adopt a less belligerent tone to help bring this conflict to an end. In the long run, the neutrality of Ukraine can perhaps help ensure peace, especially if Russia is assured that it will not be used as a Nato staging post. On the other hand, Moscow needs to respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and stop treating it like a rogue province. But efforts to work out a long-term peace can only succeed if the guns fall silent, and negotiations are allowed to continue unimpeded.

Published in Dawn, April 23rd, 2022