By John V. Walsh

2014 saw two pivotal events that led to the current conflict in Ukraine.

The first, familiar to all, was the coup in Ukraine in which a democratically elected government was overthrown at the direction of the United States and with the assistance of neo-Nazi elements which Ukraine has long harbored.

Shortly thereafter the first shots in the present war were fired on the Russian-sympathetic Donbass region by the newly installed Ukrainian government. The shelling of the Donbass which claimed 14,000 lives has continued for 8 years, despite attempts at a cease-fire under the Minsk accords which Russia, France and Germany agreed upon but Ukraine backed by the US refused to implement. On February 24, 2022, Russia finally responded to the slaughter in Donbass and the threat of NATO on its doorstep.



Russia Turns to the East – China Provides an Alternative Economic Powerhouse.

The second pivotal event of 2014 was less noticed and in fact rarely mentioned in the Western mainstream media. In November of that year according to the IMF, China’s GDP surpassed that of the U.S. in purchasing power parity terms (PPP GDP). (This measure of GDP is calculated and published by the IMF, World Bank and even the CIA. Students of international relations like economics Nobel Laureate, Joseph Stiglitz, Graham Allison and many others consider this metric the best measure of a nation’s comparative economic power.) One person who took note and who often mentions China’s standing in the PPP-GDP ranking is none other than Russia’s President Vladimir Putin.

From one point of view, the Russian action in Ukraine represents a decisive turn away from the hostile West to the more dynamic East and the Global South. This follows decades of importuning the West for a peaceful relationship since the Cold War’s end. As Russia makes its Pivot to the East, it is doing its best to ensure that its Western border with Ukraine is secured.

Following the Russian action in Ukraine, the inevitable US sanctions poured onto Russia. China refused to join them and refused to condemn Russia. This was no surprise; after all Putin’s Russia and Xi’s China had been drawing ever closer for years, most notably with trade denominated in ruble-renminbi exchange, thus moving toward independence from the West’s dollar dominated trade regime.

The World Majority Refuses to Back US Sanctions

But then a big surprise. India joined China in refusing to honor the US sanctions regime. And India kept to its resolve despite enormous pressure including calls from Biden to Modi and a train of high level US, UK and EU officials trekking off to India to bully, threaten and otherwise attempting to intimidate India. India would face “consequences,” the tired US threat went up. India did not budge.

India’s close military and diplomatic ties with Russia were forged during the anti-colonial struggles of the Soviet era. India’s economic interests in Russian exports could not be countermanded by US threats. Now India and Russia are now working on trade via ruble-rupee exchange. In fact, Russia has turned out to be a factor that put India and China on the same side, pursuing their own interests and independence in the face of US diktat. Moreover with trade in ruble-renminbi exchange already a reality and with ruble-rupee exchange in the offing, are we about to witness a Renminbi-Ruble-Rupee world of trade – a “3R” alternative to the Dollar-Euro monopoly? Is the world’s second most important political relationship, that between India and China, about to take a more peaceful direction? What’s the world’s first most important relationship?

India is but one example of the shift in power. Out of 195 countries, only 30 have honored the US sanctions on Russia. That means about 165 countries in the world have refused to join the sanctions. Those countries represent by far the majority of the world’s population. Most of Africa, Latin America (including Mexico and Brazil), East Asia (excepting Japan, South Korea, both occupied by US troops and hence not sovereign, Singapore and the renegade Chinese Province of Taiwan) have refused. (India and China alone represent 35% of humanity.)

Add to that fact that 40 different countries are now the targets of US sanctions and there is a powerful constituency to oppose the thuggish economic tactics of the US

Finally, at the recent G-20 Summit a walkout led by the US when the Russia delegate spoke was joined by the representatives of only 3 other G-20 countries, with 80% of these leading financial nations refusing to join! Similarly, a US attempt to bar a Russian delegate from a G-20 meeting later in the year in Bali was rebuffed by Indonesia which currently holds the G-20 Presidency.

Nations Taking Russia’s side are no longer poor as in Cold War 1.0.

These dissenting countries of the Global South are no longer as poor as they were during the Cold War. Of the top 10 countries in PPP-GDP, 5 do not support the sanctions. And these include China (number one) and India (number 3). So the first and third most powerful economies stand against the US on this matter. (Russia is number 6 on that list about equal to Germany, number 5, the two being close to equal, belying the idea that Russia’s economy is negligible.)

These stands are vastly more significant than any UN vote. Such votes can be coerced by a great power and little attention is paid to them in the world. But the economic interests of a nation and its view of the main danger in the world are important determinants of how it reacts economically – for example to sanctions. A “no” to US sanctions is putting one’s money where one’s mouth is.

We in the West hear that Russia is “isolated in the world” as a result of the crisis in Ukraine. If one is speaking about the Eurovassal states and the Anglosphere, that is true. But considering humanity as a whole and among the rising economies of the world, it is the US that stands isolated. And even in Europe, cracks are emerging. Hungary and Serbia have not joined the sanctions regime and of course most European countries will not and indeed cannot turn away from Russian energy imports crucial to their economies. It appears that the grand scheme of US global hegemony to be brought about by the US move to WWII Redux, both Cold and Hot, has hit a mighty snag.

For those who look forward to a multipolar world, this is a welcome turn of events emerging out of the cruel tragedy of the US proxy war in Ukraine. The possibility of a saner, more prosperous multipolar world lies ahead – if we can get there.

John V. Walsh, until recently a professor of physiology and neuroscience at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, has written on issues of peace and health care for Asia Times, San Francisco Chronicle, EastBayTimes/San Jose Mercury News, LA Progressive, Antiwar.com, CounterPunch, and others.

First published on May 5, 2022.

ATTENTION READERS

We See The World From All Sides and Want YOU To Be Fully Informed
In fact, intentional disinformation is a disgraceful scourge in media today. So to assuage any possible errant incorrect information posted herein, we strongly encourage you to seek corroboration from other non-VT sources before forming an educated opinion.

About VT - Policies & Disclosures - Comment Policy
Due to the nature of uncensored content posted by VT's fully independent international writers, VT cannot guarantee absolute validity. All content is owned by the author exclusively. Expressed opinions are NOT necessarily the views of VT, other authors, affiliates, advertisers, sponsors, partners, or technicians. Some content may be satirical in nature. All images are the full responsibility of the article author and NOT VT.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

12 COMMENTS

  1. Modern warfare is a war crime. I started thinking like this back during the Vietnam War where most deaths were civilians and no way was that a “defensive” war. This has been the case with all the US wars since then including and especially the so-called War on Terror. That Americans can so easily be talked into fighting foreign wars is in stark contrast to Russia. Russians have experienced modern warfare on their soil, unlike Americans. This will change once the crazy Zionists have forced us into fighting WWIII. That. will not only be fought on US soil but might mean the end of humanity on the planet Earth as well. Seems like Putin and Lavrov are the only politicians who are aware of that.

    • I’m thinking civil war before WWIII. The last one we had only effected civilians in the South. The next one will be full fledged slaughter. May be time to do a Jeremiah Johnson.

  2. Most of our politicians haven’t read the Constitution never mind Washington’s Farewell Address about foreign entanglements, Adams on warning about going abroad to destroy monsters etc. Thus I’ve concluded that a bunch of illiterate morons currently run the Government. Hopefully the end of the American Empire which it was never supposed to be is soon at hand.

  3. Another puzzling aspect of the Ukraine vs. Russia conflict is religion. Both sides are overwhelmingly Christian. Why don’t their priest get together, gather up all the soldiers they can and have a gigantic Field Masses. After receiving Communion the soldiers can hug each other in a loving Christian embrace then go home to make war no more. C’mon guys! You’re all Christians! Act it!

    • Unfortunately, this is from the realm of fiction. Religion has nothing to do with this issue at all.

    • Written by somebody who never worked with orphanages in Ukraine obviously.

      First, all the stuff you try to send gets stolen that has any value. Then the orphanage directors steal the funds. When I worked with an orphanage in the village of Borzna, Ukraine north of Kyiv, the director stole all the funds and bought herself a nice new car. That was the final straw, and the program I worked with left Bornza, and set up shop in Kharkiv.

      Then in Kharkiv, the shit was so bad, that we were not even at the get kids clothing level. We were at the level of giving ophthalmologist exams so kids would not go blind due to lazy eye, etc. They only had a two-month estimated life span if they lost their vision. Ukraine is brutal to disabled orphans. Probably they get sold to organ harvesters, however, the women I worked with never gave me all the details. Ukraine’s government keeps that info. suppressed. They just said they only have a few months to live at the government-run disability orphanages.

      So, in a nutshell. Ukraine is a useless, corrupt country. I’d love to describe in vivid detail how I would end corruption in Ukraine. However, I’ll shut up now.

    • DON´T YOU KNOW EUROPEAN HISTORY TO BRING THE RELIGIOUS ISSUE? EVEN UKRANIAN CHURCH GOT IN TO THE MATTER CRIATING ANOTHER CHISMA!

    • @ Mihail
      Everything is written correctly, Mihail. In Ukraine, they steal everything that is not nailed to the floor.

    • ethanallen you really should can the Christian religion shtick. Christianity is by far the most evil, barbaric farce on earth.
      If there is ever any doubt start asking the question “Can you name the ten commandments?” Of course, they can’t.
      I’m pagan but I can name two. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s goods.
      I’m sure the “Good christians” take the “thou” part personally. “I haven’t killed anyone.” or ‘I haven’t coveted my neighbor’s goods.”
      So if you’re walking down the street and you see a person getting mugged and killed and you say nothing are you not complisit?

      Think that through as you pump gas from stolen oil from Iraq and Syria and all the innocent people the “good christians” killed to get it.
      Sleep well.

    • I detect a note of fatalism and sarcasm here. All the combatants in WWI were also Christians and the slaughter was mind boggling. All still quiet on the Western front.

Comments are closed.