Serious situation

It’s is time for powerful countries in the world to play their honest part and help Russia and Ukraine to resolve all deadly outstanding conflicts through meaningful dialogue. The war will only destroy the nations not build them (“3-month-old infant, mother killed in Russian missile strike on Odessa,” April 24, Gulf Today website).

Kyiv prepared on Saturday for its first wartime visit from two top US officials, as Ukraine accused Russia of killing eight people, including an infant, in a strike on the southern city of Odessa that all but buried hopes of a truce for Orthodox Easter. In his daily video address on Saturday night, Zelensky said he was preparing for “tomorrow’s important talks with American partners”. The State Department declined to comment on the highly sensitive trip by two of President Joe Biden’s top cabinet members.

Their visit comes as Russian forces show no sign of easing their attacks and after the Odessa strike.

“Among those killed was a three-month-old baby girl. How did she threaten Russia? It seems that killing children is just a new national idea of the Russian Federation,” Zelensky said.

The Russian Special operation started in Ukraine in the last 2 months but the situation is still out of control and nobody knows where the deadly conflict between Russia and Ukraine will drag the world.

Western powers have accused Russia in the past of making such accusations as a cover or diversion for attacks its own forces are planning.

According to the reports, Sunday’s visit by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin will come at a symbolic moment — on the day the war enters its third month — and with fierce battles continuing in the country’s east. The world has to play its productive part in bringing about peace in the region and make sure that both the countries, Russia and Ukraine, will come to the negotiation table. There is no military solution to any conflict but the only way to solve any dispute is meaningful negotiation between the stakeholders.

I hope good sense will prevail and Russia and Ukraine will understand the seriousness of the conflict and will resolve their outstanding issues for the sake of their own innocent people who are the real victims of the conflict.

Jahan Aslam
By email