https://youtu.be/P80I5cNcCl8
“Russia and the West view the war between Russia and Ukraine as the final battle of the Cold War, as if the past 30 years had been a truce and now the full range of capabilities related to that war—which never took place directly between the major powers or blocs—were finally being put to the test,” said Dr. Marcos Farias Ferreira—a professor at the Higher Institute of Social and Political Sciences (ISCSP) at the University of Lisbon and a visiting professor at Universidad ORT Uruguay—during the conference “Russia and Ukraine: The Post-Soviet Space from Gorbachev to Putin.”
The event, organized by the Department of International Studies at ORT’s School of Management and Social Sciences, was held online on Thursday, March 10, 2022.
The conference sought to reconstruct the context of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which led to the military attack and invasion of Ukrainian territory on Thursday, February 24, 2022.
Strengthening Multilateralism
The expert noted that what is happening today is directly linked to the dynamics surrounding the end of the Cold War.
To understand this, it is important to bear in mind “that the 1990s were a time of complete devastation for the Russian economy and society.” Furthermore, “another key factor during that decade was Russia’s internal political turmoil.”
It is in this context that “President Vladimir Putin emerges as the key figure in restoring Russia’s standing, authority, and ability to enhance the prestige of the state and its institutions.”
“Starting in 2000, Russia began to emphasize the need to strengthen multilateralism, which led to significant political tension. The more pronounced the United States’ unilateral strategy became, the more Russia sought to counter it, a move that many interpreted as an attempt to rebuild the Soviet Union,” said Farias Ferreira.
“These two trends were linked to the expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). This expansion was intended to ensure security in Europe, but Russia perceived it as the creation of a new enemy.”
The sustainability of peace
“All the security dilemmas that have arisen are a far cry from the rhetoric and expectations of 1989–91 regarding peace in Europe. At that time, leaders emphasized that it was a peace without winners or losers. However, little by little, the climate has changed significantly. At this point, including among the public, there are renewed calls for there to be winners and losers, ”the expert noted.
“That’s why I say we’re in the final battle of the Cold War. Because we need a loser—something that didn’t exist in 1989–1991 due to that broader conception of peace—but right now, Russia’s invasion demands a loser, because transitions of power in the international system have always occurred in the past with a loser of a war.”
“I have no doubt that this is an invasion—an illegitimate use of force by Russia in international relations. It is not a military operation; it is an illegitimate war, ”the scholar said.
“That said, there is no military solution to the conflict. I am certain that NATO cannot become militarily involved in the war, because that would lead NATO into direct conflict with Russia and could mark the beginning of a global nuclear war.”
The expert concluded: “The European Union’s decision to send weapons to Ukraine is alarming. It is fueling a limited resistance. Furthermore, this could serve to fuel other armed conflicts in the long term, which is deeply concerning for the sustainability of peace at the regional level, but also at the global level.”