Peace must be based on freedom and justice
James J.Y. Hsu 許正餘

US President Joe Biden’s visit to Kyiv before the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was an act of admirable courage and moral leadership, and a show of unity among democratic and free countries against tyrannical aggression.

The world has seen the brutality of Russian troops and their crimes against humanity in the battlefields. Freedom is not free. Many young Ukrainian soldiers have sacrificed their lives to defend freedom and independence, and millions of Ukrainians have scattered out as refugees.

It was an inspiring moment when then-British prime minister Boris Johnson appeared in Kyiv soon after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced his “special operation” in Ukraine.

One year later, Biden walked the streets of Kyiv amid air-raid sirens, and declared in his speech in Poland that “Kyiv stands strong” and “stands free,” in a strong rebuttal to Putin’s military ambition.

Many leaders have risked the danger of visiting a war zone to offer support. They are the profiles of courage that include the leaders of Canada, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovenia, as well as the US House of Representatives speaker and leaders from the European Commission.

With Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) early declaration of unlimited friendship with Russia, and his reported visit to Moscow in the coming months, the Ukraine war has taken center stage in the conflict between democracy and autocracy.

Russia has seen tremendous losses in personnel and equipment, and was unable to launch a major offense on the anniversary of its invasion, military analysts said.

Putin has thrown his fate into the hands of Xi, who might take advantage of Russia’s vulnerabilities to recover some old Chinese territories lost to Russia, as reports show that China is adding Chinese names on maps of those major areas.

It is hard to imagine the friendship between two cruel, calculating and unprincipled dictators to be genuine and trustworthy.

Ending the Ukraine war is the highest priority, as the UN General Assembly resumes its emergency special session.

“Too many lives, livelihoods, families and communities have been lost. Russia can end its aggression and the war it has unleashed. Russia must end this hell of bloodshed,” UN General Assembly President Csaba Korosi said.

War does not decide who is right, but who is left. Historically, wars have hardly been launched with just cause.

War is never a civilized solution for disputes among countries, and nothing can be so precious as the lives of young people who are sacrificed at a horrific rate on both sides. It is ironic that Putin committed to the war as an old man, but his young men are paying for it with their lives. Only dictators would commit such treason.

The world is likely to never be absent of conflict, but the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means is what makes a true civilization.

With Finland and Sweden applying for NATO membership, which should be approved in the summer, Europe can demonstrate that strength is a good way to stop war.

The fundamental problem in societies is that autocracy still roams free in many parts of the world. Immunity to war must be built in all countries from the fundamentals of freedom of speech, fair elections, term limits on elected offices and other democratic means.

The UN can and should impose these general rules on member countries, as sovereignty does not give license to unleash a bloody war.

James J.Y. Hsu is a retired professor of theoretical physics.
This article was originally published in Taipei Times Editorial: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2023/02/26/2003795045