As the war in Ukraine grinds through yet another year, a renewed push for diplomacy has emerged from the West, driven in large part by a desire for stability and a strategic pivot.
As the war in Ukraine grinds into its fourth year, the calculus of peace appears increasingly dictated not by battlefield realities or the will of the people, but by shifting geopolitical priorities.
For centuries, diplomacy has often operated in a space where truth is moulded, concealed, or reshaped to suit the interests of nations.
The recent UN-led meeting in Doha marked a significant moment for international diplomacy as the Taliban participated for the first time. This event has sparked varied reactions globally
The introduction of a more inclusive language in UDHR was an important milestone in the fight for women's rights and gender equality.
Russia will not win, and Ukraine cannot lose. Germany, caught in a crisis not of its own making, has to find a way to regain stability and order and of course economic growth
Despite having serious human rights issues at home, the US and its allies seek to use human rights as a tool to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries, especially China and other developing countries, by leveling false accusations against them
Putin has in any case sought to make his economy immune to sanctions by building foreign exchange reserves (over $630 billion) and taking other measures. He can also inflict economic pain on Europe as Russia is the continent’s largest source of oil and natural gas as well as important raw materials. Against this backdrop, is there space for diplomatic efforts to defuse the crisis and find a peaceful resolution?
After 23 years at the helm, perceptions of weakness are the last thing Putin is willing to tolerate. After all, it was largely to reverse the trajectory of post-Soviet Russia’s frailty that he effectively seized power at the turn of the century.
As any alpha knows, not to win is to lose the hegemonic position. The rational calculation is therefore there will not be a real war in the Year of the Tiger, because talking jaw to jaw is better than war. But war is not always rational, neither are markets. And that is why big volatilities and perils lie ahead, as do opportunities.
