The war in Ukraine is often presented as a fight between democracy and dictatorship—a battle of good versus evil. But reality is far more complicated than that.
Beneath the headlines and emotional rhetoric, this war is not just about Ukraine and Russia. It’s a high-stakes power struggle between global giants—NATO, the US, the EU, and Russia—where Ukraine itself has become a battleground for competing interests.
And the people suffering the most? Ordinary Ukrainians, caught in the middle of forces far beyond their control.
A Nation Shaped by Conflict and Intervention
Despite modern narratives of a unified Ukraine, history tells a different story. Ukraine has never had a singular national identity. It has long been a region of competing influences, shaped by imperial legacies, Soviet interventions, and Cold War geopolitics.
Before the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917, Ukraine was divided—Eastern Ukraine was part of the Russian Empire, while Western Ukraine belonged to the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The collapse of these empires after World War I sparked fierce struggles over the region, with Ukrainian nationalists, White Russians, and Bolsheviks all vying for control.
It was Lenin and Trotsky who ultimately incorporated Ukraine into the Soviet Union in 1922—not out of a belief in Ukrainian independence, but to secure control over this strategically vital landmass. Later, Stalin’s brutal policies, including the Holodomor famine of 1932-33, deepened anti-Soviet sentiment, particularly in Western Ukraine. After World War II, Stalin expanded Ukraine’s borders, absorbing former Polish and Austro-Hungarian territories and further entrenching the country’s internal divisions.
These historical interventions laid the groundwork for modern Ukraine’s fractured identity. Western Ukraine has historically leaned toward Europe, Central Ukraine remains politically fluid, and Eastern Ukraine has strong cultural and linguistic ties to Russia. These divisions were once manageable, but the 2014 Euromaidan revolution changed everything, turning Ukraine into the central fault line of a new Cold War.
The Dilemma of War Supports
President Zelenskyy has taken a firm stance: no peace without Ukraine regaining every inch of its lost territory, including Crimea and the Donbas. To some, this shows strength and resilience. But to others, it raises a difficult question—is this demand realistic, or is it just prolonging the war?
Ukraine’s survival depends on Western military and financial aid, particularly from the US. But cracks are beginning to show. Washington is losing patience—not because it suddenly cares about peace, but because Ukraine’s counteroffensive isn’t working. The longer this war drags on, the more US leaders wonder: Is this still worth it? Zelenskyy, once their favorite ally, is now finding himself in an increasingly fragile position.
Europe has been loud in its support for Ukraine, but behind closed doors, things are more complicated. Leaders in Germany and France know that a long war is bad for Europe, but they also don’t want to upset NATO or the US.
Some countries, like Poland and the Baltic states, see Russia as a threat and want to push Ukraine to fight as long as possible. Others, like Hungary, openly oppose the war effort. And then there are those in the middle—publicly backing Ukraine but quietly hoping for a way out. The EU’s position is anything but united.
The United States has been Ukraine’s biggest supporter, but let’s be honest—it’s not about saving democracy. It’s about weakening Russia, containing China, and keeping NATO strong. Ukraine, in many ways, is a piece on the global chessboard.
Prolonging the war also benefits one powerful force: the military-industrial complex. Defense companies are making billions off this conflict. More war means more weapons, more contracts, and more profits. The US doesn’t necessarily want Ukraine to lose—but does it want Ukraine to win quickly? That’s a different question.
Moscow’s Perspective
From Putin’s viewpoint, Russia is not merely engaging in territorial expansion but intervening in what it sees as an internal Ukrainian civil conflict, exacerbated by NATO’s push eastward. While the West portrays this as an unprovoked invasion, Moscow views Ukraine’s internal divisions as a justification for its actions.
The 2014 US-backed Euromaidan revolution that ousted pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych was seen by Western Ukrainians as a democratic victory. But to many in Eastern Ukraine, it was a foreign-backed coup that ignored their voices. This event triggered the Crimean annexation and the war in the Donbas, making it clear that Ukraine was no longer a neutral state but a battleground for NATO and Russian interests.
Vladimir Putin is no hero—he’s a cold strategist who acts in Russia’s national interests. But the idea that he’s just an irrational aggressor trying to take over Europe is a lazy oversimplification.
For decades, Russia has seen NATO’s expansion as a direct threat. When Ukraine leaned toward NATO, Moscow saw it as a red line—a line it wasn’t willing to ignore. That doesn’t justify the invasion, but it does explain why this war didn’t come out of nowhere. Ignoring this context is one of the biggest failures of mainstream narratives.
The Real Victims
Amid all the political maneuvering, one truth remains: ordinary Ukrainians are the ones paying the price. Millions have been displaced, thousands have died, and an entire generation is growing up in a warzone.
And yet, peace feels further away than ever. Why? Because those with the power to end this war—whether in Kyiv, Washington, Brussels, or Moscow—aren’t seemingly making peace their priority. They’re playing long-term power games, while Ukrainians continue to suffer.
The longer the war drags on, the more obvious it becomes: many of the so-called “supporters of Ukraine” don’t seemingly want the war to end anytime soon. Zelenskyy’s refusal to negotiate may be based on principle, but it’s also unrealistic. Europe’s outward support masks growing doubts. The US, once Ukraine’s strongest ally, is now shifting its focus, with signs of fatigue setting in, while Russia remains committed to grinding down Ukrainian defenses and waiting for Western patience to wane.
This is not a war of good vs. evil. It’s not a battle for democracy. It’s a war of power, influence, and strategic interests. The world’s biggest players have their own agendas, and Ukraine is the battlefield where those agendas collide.
But while politicians, generals, and billionaires make their moves, the people of Ukraine continue to suffer. They are the only ones who truly deserve our empathy—not governments, not military alliances, and certainly not the profiteers of war.
The only way out of this nightmare is pragmatic negotiation—a path that too many leaders seem unwilling to take. And until they do, the war will continue, not because it must, but because those in power benefit from it lasting just a little bit longer.
Image by Rozbooy
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