KATHMANDU, July 26: Experts have argued that a clear, strong and collective voice of the rest of the world is what is needed to defeat Russia's invasion against Ukraine. 

Addressing a program organized by Consortium of South Asian Think Tanks (COSATT) in Kathmandu on Monday, a senior German expert argued that a collective voice of the rest of the world is needed to defeat Vladimir Putin's ambition that undermines existing rule-based international order. "This is not just a European war. This has a global impact," said Andreas Klein, who is Director of the Political Dialogue, Asia Program of the Konrad Adeneur Stiftung.  

Also a geopolitical expert, Klein said that all continents including Africa and Asia are equally affected by the Russian invasion in Ukraine. "Africa is heavily dependent on wheat and fertilizers on Ukraine and Russia both. It is a big war. Ukraine in this case needs our support that we could get," he further said. South Asian countries have also witnessed sharp increases in the prices of petroleum products and food items along with huge inflation as a result of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

There are fears that Putin's ambition will grow further if he is not stopped in Ukraine. "Putin has argued that Russia invaded Ukraine to protect the Russian speaking population in Ukraine. He could apply the same argument in case of Estonia, Latvia and Moldova if he is not stopped in Ukraine," he said, adding that the security environment in the European continent has changed following Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. 

Finland and Sweden have already decided to be part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and other traditionally neutral countries in Europe are seeking to be members of the US-led military block. Klein argued that the focus of Germany only on economic and energy security after the 1990s had proved wrong.

Experts participating in the program argued that all concerned stakeholders should try to find a peaceful solution to the problem as the prolonged war between Russia and Ukraine is set to have devastating impacts on the global economy. "This conflict does not have a military solution. Dialogue and negotiation are the only alternatives. But looking at the behavior of Russia we cannot say with certainty how the war will move ahead," said Klein, while referring the Russian bombing in Odesa port a day after a grain export deal was reached among Turkey, Ukraine and Russia.

Addressing the function, COSAT Director Dr Nishchal Nath Pandey argued that small countries like Nepal and Sri Lanka are hit hard by the Russia-Ukraine conflict. It was only natural that small countries like Nepal could not make any preparations to withstand the impact of the conflict as developed countries like Germany also seemed least prepared to deal with it.

"Sri Lanka, which already facing economic problem after terrorist attack was hit further due to COVID-19. The situation has been further aggravated due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The conflict has thrown tourism in South Asia out of gear," said Pandey.

Former ambassador of Nepal to the United Nations Dr Shambhu Ram Simkhada lamented that the role of the UN had been ineffective in resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict. "The presence of the United Nations is nowhere to be seen in this grave crisis," he said.

 
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