By Megan Gates
Country borders are sometimes shaped by the natural world—where the edges of a nation’s territory meet the sea, river, or mountain range. But they’re also shaped by treaties, negotiations, conflict, and colonialism.
Russia’s efforts to seize control of Ukraine by military force represents a 21st Century colonial attempt to rebuild Russia’s empire, a breach of international law and norms formed following World War II when then-German Chancellor Adolf Hitler attempted similar measures to redraw the map of Europe.
If successful, Russia’s victory will set the stage for a new era of flourishing authoritarianism, increased defense spending in Europe and the United States, and a potential threat to the global world order, said Radosław “Radek” Sikorski, member of the European Parliament (MP) representing the Kyavian-Pomeranian region of Poland and a 2023 general session speaker at GSX 2023 in Dallas, Texas.
“This is a classic colonial war,” Sikorski explained. “Russia didn’t invade Ukraine because it felt threatened. Russia knows NATO is a defense alliance and has no intention—or capability—to attack Russia. If NATO was provoking Russia to invade, Russia would be invading Finland and Sweden.”
Sikorski appeared before attendees virtually from Warsaw, Poland, after completing a trip via train to Ukraine—a trip he has made every few months as Russia’s aggression continues. He plays an important role as an ally to Ukraine, not only because of his MP position representing Poland but also because he sits on the Committee for Foreign Affairs and the Security and Defence Subcommittee at the European Parliament, and is the chairman of the delegation for relations with the United States.
On previous journeys to Ukraine, Sikorski worked to coordinate and transport pick-up trucks to Ukrainian soldiers, which carry supplies and wounded individuals to hospitals. Sikorski has also traveled to Bucha, the site of some of the worst atrocities of the war, as well as to 18 miles from the front line to meet Ukrainian soldiers and view how some of the military weapons being provided to Ukraine from its allies are used.
Despite being outnumbered and lacking air superiority in the current conflict, Sikorski said that Ukraine has performed much better than expected. But, after visiting Kiev this past week, Sikorski said that he also observed that people are getting tired after almost one year and seven months of war.
Ukrainians “have made huge sacrifices in towns and villages,” he added. “There are huge spaces of freshly dug graves. They’ve lost many of their best people. They have the right to be tired.”
The rest of the world, however, does not have this right, Sikorski said.
You can read the rest of this article from Security Management here.
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