School life in Kyiv has changed completely over the past year.

When a loud siren is heard, classes are called off and students rush downstairs to an underground shelter beneath their school, carrying their bags on their backs.

This is a part of daily life in the Ukrainian capital that did not exist a year ago.

Until the war began, Viktoriya, an 11th-year student (second-year high school student), dreamed of becoming successful and beautiful and buying glamorous clothes.

“Now, all I think about are peace, freedom and victory,” she said.

The cruelty of war hits vulnerable people the hardest. Many children have been killed or lost their families and homes.

A horrifying report said at least 6,000 Ukrainian children have been taken away by the Russians for “re-education.”

This brutality must be stopped. Only Russia, which started the war, can end it.

On the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, we strongly urge afresh Russian President Vladimir Putin to stop the invasion and withdraw his troops from Ukraine.

DEEPLY INGRAINED HATRED

Russia’s initial plan to seize Ukraine’s capital in a few days quickly fell apart. Moscow’s attempt to put Ukraine under its thumb also backfired completely.

Bitter hatred for Russia has been deeply ingrained into the minds of the Ukrainian people, which will remain for generations.

A time-honored Ukrainian theater has dropped the works of Russian writers, such as Alexander Pushkin and Anton Chekhov, from its list of programs.

“Many people, including young children, have been killed,” said the manager of the theater. “We cannot forgive (the Russians) for decades and centuries.”

Russia has lost not just its ties with its neighbor.

Up to 200,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or injured during the war, according to an estimate by Britain’s Ministry of Defense.

Russia has also lost numerous young people with a future as well as its prestige and credibility as a major power responsible for maintaining the international order. In short, Russia has lost its future.

Ukraine is not the only victim of the war.

The invasion has caused repercussions worldwide, including sharp rises in food and energy prices.

The victims of such effects are also the socially vulnerable, including the poor.

Still, Putin declared in his annual state of the nation address on Feb. 21 that he will continue what he described as a war for “the defense of the Fatherland.”

It is far more difficult to end a war once it is started. 

While it is important for the world to make every effort to help bring the war to an end, it is vital to ensure that no country starts a war.

The international community should digest this lesson and make efforts to achieve this goal.

FACING UP TO DISTRUST OF WEST

Let us remember afresh that the war did not begin suddenly one year ago.

In 2014, Russia occupied Crimea, an autonomous republic in southern Ukraine, and declared it to be part of its own territory.

Russia helped its proxy forces to capture a large swath of Ukraine’s east and establish areas in the region not under the control of the Ukrainian government.

While brokering a cease-fire in eastern Ukraine, the United States and Europe effectively turned a blind eye to Russia’s occupation of Crimea, which is a clear violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty.

Japan forged ahead with economic cooperation with Russia in hopes of settling its territorial dispute.

Going further back in history, it should be noted that the Western powers’ arrogance after their victory in the Cold War has apparently created a deep vein of antipathy to the West among Russians.

The West has apparently ignored the Kremlin’s suppression of human rights and thereby allowed Putin to continue his authoritarian rule.

Another reality that must be faced squarely is that the world is far from monolithic in criticizing Russia.

In particular, many of the emerging and developing countries that are collectively referred to as the “Global South” have chosen not to take sides in this conflict.

Industrialized nations need to sincerely confront the fact that their mantra of “justice” and double standards for protecting their own interests have met with a cool response.

To ensure long-term stability in the world, it is crucial for Western countries to provide support to help regions that have often been forgotten in solving problems such as regional conflicts, authoritarian rules, poverty, the effects of climate change and infectious diseases.

UNITED FOR RULE OF LAW

What is clear is that Russia’s war must not be allowed to become a precedent of successful aggression. The world needs an effective international framework to prevent and stop illegal acts.

From this point of view, the war has dramatically underscored the United Nations’ powerlessness.

The conflict has exposed the evils of the principle of unanimity among the five permanent members of the Security Council, which are the leading victorious countries of World War II, holding a veto power while being responsible for maintaining world peace.

The era when specific major powers can be entrusted to settle conflicts and maintain peace is forever gone.

This is time for the world to start exploring a system for collective security under which the international community, composed of countries with different political systems and governing principles, assumes the responsibility to protect the world order and maintain peace.

But the “democracy versus autocracy” rhetoric of the U.S. administration of President Joe Biden could instead deepen the division within the world.

We propose the establishment of the principle that no unilateral attempt to change an international border by force is acceptable.

This is one of the basic rules set by the United Nations Charter and the vast majority of nations would support it.

Members of the United Nations should stand united to protect the rule of law and call for unified responses to violations of the principle.

The United Nations should be revamped so that it will have the ability to promote this approach. Japan should be one of the countries that lead such reform of the world body.

Let us listen again to what Viktoriya has to say.

“I hope to see a world where our children and future generations do not have to experience the reality of war.”

All the people of the world have an obligation to make efforts to ensure that her dream comes true.

--The Asahi Shimbun, Feb. 24