Whatever justifications the West may present for refusing to negotiate with Russia, this does not absolve it of bearing part of the responsibility for the war in Ukraine alongside Russia. One of the issues the Russians never fully accepted was the separation of many former Soviet republics from Russia, especially Ukraine, whose geographic position—situated between the West and the Russian sphere—made it a constant point of friction. The Kremlin considered Ukraine a part of Russia, and its separation weakened Russian national security, particularly since the Ukrainian political class sought, before the war, to join NATO and the political system of Western Europe.
Was the Russian invasion of Ukraine justified? From the perspective of many, it was not, because it ignited a war that will not end until all sides have suffered enormous losses and the geopolitical map of the region has been drastically reshaped. Yet what should not be overlooked is that all parties were required to act with a minimum level of rationality to balance the demands of both Russians and Ukrainians. The war has left deep wounds in the relationship between Russians and Ukrainians—wounds that cannot be healed. The rift is far greater than we imagine, and it will cast long shadows over the future of relations between East and West.
