This February, Ukraine will have endured 3 years of war since Russia’s invasion in 2022.
Both countries have sustained horrific casualty rates, which include many thousands of conscripts. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian economy remains largely stalled and in shock, with severe long-term consequences for Ukrainians beyond those suffering on the front lines.
Furthermore, Russia has brandished the nuclear threat at various points during the conflict, whilst limiting restrictions on first-strike nuclear doctrine. A recent exchange of nuclear-capable ballistic missiles has brought the world closer to nuclear conflict than any time since the height of the Cold War.
Join Scottish CND on the 24th of February for a free webinar, with talks from expert guests, to reflect on 3 years of war in Ukraine and chart a course for peace.
Almut Rochowanski is an independent activist who has been working in the former Soviet Union, including Ukraine and Russia, for many years, particularly with women’s groups on issues of conflict and civil society development.
Barrie Hebb is an economist, academic and consultant working with a range of NGOs, agencies, institutes and foundations, who has lived in Ukraine for over eight years and has both direct and scholarly knowledge of the impact of war and other crises on Ukrainian society.
Isobel Lindsay is a former lecturer and lifelong peace and anti-nuclear campaigner, currently serving on the executive committee of Scottish CND. She is a board member of Common Weal and the Scottish Independence Convention, and frequently published across Scottish media.
You can register for the free webinar at 7pm on 24th February by clicking the image below:
The third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will take place about a month into the second presidential term of Donald Trump. As the new US administration enters into power, the status of the conflict in Ukraine remains highly uncertain.
Along with proclamations that he will seek to end the war as soon as possible, Trump has stated he is considering tariffs and further economic sanctions on Russia, as well as a strategy of lowering OPEC oil prices, to pressure Russia into peace negotiations. Although the new secretary of state Marco Rubio has promised to pause all US foreign aid grants, there are reports that US military aid to Ukraine has not been interrupted by the transition in US government.
These signs suggest the US is not likely to imminently give up on an adversarial posture towards Russia. Nevertheless, the leaders of both countries have simultaneously expressed willingness to negotiate possibilities for denuclearisation.
Such statements from the leaders of the two nations jointly holding 90% of the world’s nuclear arsenal are welcome, even if surprising. But this rhetoric must be met with action during Trump’s second term, and his record in office does not inspire optimism in that regard. The first Trump administration infamously pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal, as well as other agreements with Russia which limited the banned missile deployment in Europe.
Moreover, in 2023, the US disarmed only 69 nuclear warheads, the lowest number since the 1990s and Russia recently tested a newly developed nuclear-capable ballistic missile in Ukraine. So far, there has been no indication as to whether denuclearisation might feature in peace ne
This chapter in the war is one of mixed messages and dread uncertainty. Meanwhile, Ukrainians continue to suffer immensely both on the battlefield and in civilian life. On this third anniversary, join Scottish CND to reflect on the terrible impact of the war on Ukraine, and to discuss the benefits of peace economies over those founded on militarism.