It is very difficult to pinpoint when a war starts. The starting signal depends on who is telling the story and whose interests it serves. Clearly, the important date is that of the end of a conflict, the signing of agreements, the reconstruction and redeployment that follow the bombs. And hopefully the beginning of reconciliation, although this is not a very precise date either, because the repercussions continue over time despite the ceasefire.
I started writing this article a dozen times and never found the tone or clarity of what I wanted to say, and I doubt this will be the exception. But events are happening and it is time to return to this topic, which I started writing about in 2014.
Yes, after the Western-orchestrated coup d’état and criminal support for neo-Nazi pro-independence groups. Ukraine had not managed to pull itself together after the fall of the Soviet system and, being the bridge between Europe and Asia, it was the terrain of geopolitical clashes with colour revolutions, fraud, corruption and terrorism. The emergence of anti-Russian governments was compounded by the persecution of the pro-Russian population and crimes against humanity, such as the unbearable massacre in Odessa.
Russia responded to this unrest and destabilisation with a military shield and the annexation of Crimea, not only a territory of clear Russian preference, but also a key strategic enclave for the security aspirations of Vladimir Putin’s country. After the signing of the Minsk agreement, a kind of calm prevailed, which did not prevent a kind of civil war from continuing in the territories of Donbas, where two territories were seeking independence from Ukraine: Lugansk and Donetsk.
In between was the 32nd anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, but there was no dissolution of NATO, the organisation created to combat communism in the world. In fact, it became a kind of international army of occupation, waging wars that in the 21st century alone cost more than 6 million lives. On the twenty-fifth anniversary Mikhail Gorbachev appeared in the media all over the world defending Putin, defending his work to restore Russia’s lost dignity and denouncing all the lies to which the Soviet Union and the Russian Federation had fallen victim. A few weeks back Germany declassified the documents that prove conclusively the deceptions committed by the West against the socialist bloc for its dissolution. Disarmament was never a plan for the United States, nor for Europe.
2014 was also an emblematic year for the agreements reached between China and Russia, a path of collaboration that was being consolidated and that, despite the ups and downs of the successive crises the planet experienced, maintained its direction, creating a multipolar camp capable of resisting the globalist hegemony imposed by blood and fire by the two-headed financial system of London and Wall Street.
Unfortunately, the leaders of the Western powers turned a deaf ear to the Russian leader’s demands and the efforts of his foreign affairs corps. Even Putin’s successive meetings with presidents of other nations seemed to show a capacity for dialogue with nerves of steel and to be resisting the global campaign of discredit and demonisation. I sense that part of this made it easier to order an armed intervention. Could Vladimir Putin look any worse? He took risks and seeks to portray himself as a pragmatic statesman willing to set a bloody firewall. In the coming hours we will see if this controlled fire manages to avoid a tragedy of catastrophic magnitude.
The construction of the multipolar network of opposition to Atlanticist hegemony has had many stages, and the achievements can be seen in this bewilderment and paralysis shown by countries accustomed to bombing the capitals of enemy countries. Facing a tentacular octopus that has many heads and whose specific economic and military weight not only equals, but even surpasses the decaying empire, forces Joe Biden and other overbearers to better consider their steps. The latter’s arrival in the White House boosted the Ukraine and Hong Kong crises, but the Sino-Russian response, until now, has been more and better diplomacy.
China continues to penetrate international bodies, not only in the form of funding, but also by trying to change their orientation. The Silk Road is the most obvious example of its ability to establish cooperation agreements on all continents. But its presence in international markets gives it an increasingly prominent role. China’s mediation in the Ukrainian conflict could be the way out of the war. If China were to play this peacemaking role, it would establish a new planetary cycle that would completely call into question the paradigms of warmongering, expansionism and extortive imposition.
The Chinese diplomatic team has not stopped for a second this year, and in the last few hours they have held talks with all the powers to express their position and proposal so that the United Nations Security Council can bring about this pacifying change.
The Chinese news agency Xinhua reported the words of Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
“First of all, China stands firmly for respecting and safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries and earnestly upholding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. China’s position is consistent and clear, and it also applies to the Ukraine issue,” dismantling criticism of China’s alleged unconditional support for Putin’s actions against the Kiev regime.
“Secondly, China advocates a common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security concept. China believes that the security of one country cannot come at the expense of harming the security of others, and regional security cannot be ensured by reinforcing and even expanding military blocs. And the reasonable security concerns of all countries must be respected,” he remarked.
“After five consecutive rounds of eastward expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), Russia’s legitimate security demands must be taken seriously and resolved in an appropriate manner,” he denounced the obvious contradictions in the hypocritical discourse of the United States.
“Thirdly, China has been following the evolution of the Ukraine issue, and the current situation is something it does not want to see,” he expressed his pacifist position.
“It is absolutely imperative that all sides exercise the restraint necessary to prevent the situation in Ukraine from deteriorating or even getting out of control. The safety of the lives and property of ordinary people must be effectively safeguarded and, in particular, large-scale humanitarian crises must be prevented,” Yi added as a humanist red line.
“Fourth, the Chinese side supports and encourages all diplomatic efforts leading to a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine crisis. China welcomes direct talks and negotiations between Russia and Ukraine as soon as possible,” he encouraged.
“The Ukraine issue has evolved in a complex historical context. Ukraine should be a bridge of communication between East and West, rather than the front line of confrontation between major countries. China also supports Europe and Russia in their efforts to hold an equal dialogue on the issue of European security, and eventually form a balanced, effective and sustainable European security mechanism,” the Chinese foreign minister warns and suggests as a plan for the future.
“Fifthly, China believes that the UN Security Council should play a constructive role in resolving the Ukraine issue, putting regional peace and stability as well as the security of all countries first,” he said.
“The measures adopted by the Security Council should reduce tension instead of adding fuel to the fire, and contribute to making progress in resolving the issue through diplomatic means instead of worsening the situation. China is always opposed to deliberately citing Chapter VII of Security Council resolutions to authorise the use of force and sanctions,” he outlined a new path for the body.
We continue to quote Xinhua in the minister’s description of China “as a permanent member of the Council, as well as a great and responsible country, it has always been faithfully fulfilling its international obligations and playing a constructive role in safeguarding world peace and stability”. He added that “China is a great country with the best track record, never having invaded other countries, waged proxy wars, sought spheres of influence or engaged in any military bloc confrontation”.
“China adheres to the path of peace and development, and is committed to building a community with a shared future for mankind,” Wang thus cited the outlines expressed by Chinese leader Xi Jinping for years.
“China will continue to firmly reject all hegemonies and strong powers, and resolutely safeguard the legitimate and legal rights and interests of developing countries, especially small and medium-sized countries,” he concluded as a warning to the rest of the Security Council nations and not only.
Adding to the Chinese foreign minister’s statements is Xi Jinping’s direct request to Vladimir Putin to end military action through negotiation, as reported by CCTV. While Ukrainian President Zelenski’s masters demand intransigence from him, the possibility of Chinese mediation might be too tempting an offer.
