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Diplomacy and economics have failed in Ukraine. Now listen to the call of the Holy See for a ceasefire
The words and gestures of the Pope are clear and confirmed in regards to Ukraine and Russia. His continued and convergent focus on an “immediate ceasefire” is emphasized below.
The ongoing conflict in the Donbass, the Russian invasion, fratricidal violence, civilian casualties, refugees, and the destruction of common property on both fronts – this is unfortunate for the Pope, because this imposed suffering cannot be reduced to a necessary evil and cannot be justified from any legal or geopolitical point of view.
The Pope noted the inefficiency of Christian and ethical principles, the rights of peoples, and international institutions, first and foremost the Security Council. The war in Ukraine was not only completely unprevented, but was not even reduced immediately under Art. 51 of the UN Charter – because even a war based on the irrepressible right to self-defense must be immediately resolved by the Security Council.
Instead, the Permanent Five succumbed to violence in order to impose their will on their colleagues.
For now, religion, diplomacy, economics (with its bonds of commercial and cultural “friendship”), and the Permanent Five failed. The “powers” should have found a political and multipolar, i.e. multilateral, solution. We need to start over, from here. Instead, the Permanent Five succumbed to the most blind, risky, and immoral solution – imposing their will on their counterparties (as well as invincible resistance) and on the UN Assembly to the logic of a done deal.
When the use of tactical nuclear weapons is communicated without taboo, the opportunity to be a conscientious interlocutor is undermined, because we always reserve the right for the final showdown. The Pope also promoted a treaty banning the possession of nuclear weapons.
The ceasefire is the starting point.
But why does the Holy See want an immediate ceasefire, and how does it want it? It also demands this rapprochement from NATO and from China with its political actions. Under the current circumstances, an immediate ceasefire is the greatest good to be pursued, an absolute goal, a realistic utopia. If and only if it is achieved, then it will become a real starting point for its preservation (also for testing the integrity of the enemy) and the basis for promoting the human development of the peoples and citizens concerned, including minorities.
A ceasefire can be achieved because one side destroys the other, but in the proper sense it is not a ceasefire and not what the Pope is pleading for. An immediate ceasefire may be a de facto situation where the parties do not formally agree to a truce, but this is perfectly normal, even if it is achieved through simple tacit connivance between enemies.
An immediate ceasefire is an absolute goal, it is justified from the ethical, Christian, legal, economic, and geopolitical standpoints. It is self-evident, even if the wills do not converge in it. The goal is not a peace treaty, but an immediate ceasefire. If you don’t wish for it definitely and unconditionally, you don’t want peace.
Justice is not achieved by war
Indeed, it is true that without truth and justice (primarily international justice), there can be no complete peace. But even less justice is achieved by war, which (if it goes well) comes down to the right of war that fuels the conflict and undermines the conditions for a decent life for own people.
In conclusion, here are three reasons why the goal of an immediate ceasefire is unconditional. Firstly, everyone will have to give an account of their good will to the judgment of God, which we want to be merciful to those who have had mercy. Secondly, politics should promote the well-being of the people. Soldiers die, get injured and mutilated, and throughout their entire existence will bear psychological if not psychotic marks. The Pope also asked for mercy for the soldiers. Finally, the task of general climatic cataclysms (management of extra-atmospheric space, etc.) requires all the geopolitical force of the “powers.” And it must be applied immediately, now, and not be “separated” from the war in Ukraine (and in preparation for the war in the China Sea).
