As we mark the 1,000th day since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, we are at a turning point in global security. Russian aggression is no longer just a European problem, it is a test of the international community’s resolve to uphold the rules-based order underpinning global peace and security.
Since the beginning of the war in 2014, Ukraine has been warning of the threat this poses to the entire world. These warnings were prophetic. Dictatorship co-operation started with Iran and North Korea supplying ammunition to Russia. Recent developments, such as North Korea’s open participation on Russia’s side, underscore what is at stake in this war. Pyongyang is not just providing arms, it is sending soldiers to fight with Russian forces.
This collaboration is more than a tactical alliance. It is part of a strategic move by North Korea to strengthen its military capabilities. Officers and soldiers returning from the war will bring back experience in modern warfare, further threatening stability in the Asia-Pacific region. The growing partnership between Moscow and Pyongyang is a sign of a broader challenge to democracy by autocratic regimes.
Russia’s actions are bullying on a global scale, carried out by a regime certain of its own impunity, and emboldened by years of complacency and weak responses from the international community. The world has allowed Russia to walk down what has been described as a red carpet of unchallenged aggression, woven from indecision, wishful thinking and unfulfilled promises. In reality, it is not a carpet at all but a river of blood flowing from Ukraine.
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Moscow only understands the language of strength. Diplomatic overtures without military backing are seen as weakness, and encouragement to further aggression. The idea that limiting Ukraine’s ability to defend itself will lead to peace is naive and dangerous.
Despite clear evidence that Russia seeks only war and shows its disrespect to the UN Charter and international law, some voices continue to call for a ceasefire in Ukraine. Such proposals, without robust and credible security guarantees, are dangerous and irresponsible. They offer only temporary respite at the expense of Ukraine’s sovereignty and independence.
A so-called “compromise” ceasefire would set a precedent in the globalised world, demonstrating that an aggressor can achieve its goals by force, and far from ending the conflict, would embolden Russia to prepare for future offensives. It would undermine the principles of territorial integrity and self-determination that the international order is built upon.
Binding Ukraine’s hands with territorial concessions would only prolong the suffering and destabilisation. Neutrality is no longer a safeguard from aggression. Ukraine was a neutral state that gave its nuclear arsenal away for many years. The Russian invasion in 2014 was a crucial factor in the decision by Ukraine to change its stance on neutrality.
The only path to lasting peace is through victory for Ukraine – one that leaves no room for territorial losses or compromises on its sovereignty.
Ukraine does not seek endless war. It seeks peace – real peace, built on justice and security. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s Peace Formula and Victory Plan offer a roadmap for achieving this goal. This plan is rooted in strength, not appeasement. It includes measures to ensure accountability for war crimes, to rebuild Ukraine’s infrastructure and to establish credible security guarantees to prevent future aggression.
Ukraine has demonstrated that it is capable of defeating Russia on the battlefield. But this requires adequate and sustained western support. The world must understand that Russia’s strategy is built on wishful thinking and propaganda, not real strategic strength.
Now is not the time for hesitation. The urgency of the victory plan is clear. Every delay gives Russia time to regroup, and every day prolongs the suffering of our people. A Ukrainian defeat or forced compromise would send a chilling message to the world: that international norms can be violated, that borders can be redrawn by force, and that small nations can’t rely on the global community for protection.
The evolving alliance between Russia and North Korea illustrates the threat posed by autocratic regimes. Ukraine’s victory would serve as a critical blow to the rising tide of authoritarianism. Likewise, a failure to fully support Ukraine risks destabilising the entire global order, emboldening aggressors everywhere, from Asia to the Middle East.
The world must recognise the gravity of the moment. This is not just Ukraine’s fight; it is a battle for the principles of sovereignty, freedom and democracy.
Ukraine’s victory will happen with the right support and resolve to see it through. The cost of inaction or half-measures is far greater than the investments required now. The price would be paid in Ukrainian lives and in the erosion of the foundations of global peace.
The time to act is now – for Ukraine, for democracy and for a future where aggressors do not dictate the terms of peace. Ukrainian victory is not just a goal, it is a necessity.
Larysa Gerasko is ambassador of Ukraine to Ireland
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