From the first days of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Western leftists have invoked “peace” as a slogan — as if peace were not already at the heart of every Ukrainian’s daily prayer. They warn the world not to “provoke” the Kremlin, as if Ukraine’s restraint could halt Russian missiles. For Ukraine’s own leftists, though, the prospect of total annihilation has laid bare how hollow abstract pacifism sounds when survival itself is on the line.
When Russian forces tried to take Kyiv in 2022, Ukrainian writer Artem Chapeye — a well-known leftist and outspoken male feminist — made sure his family reached safety before he enlisted to defend his country. In his latest book “Ordinary People Don’t Carry Machine Guns,” translated into English by Zenia Tompkins and published by Seven Stories Press, Chapeye reflects on his path to military service, the ways in which the war has upended parts of Ukrainian society, and what it means to hold onto your humanity when forced to pick up a weapon.
“It’s easy to hide behind the abstract idea that ‘the more weapons there are, the more war there’ll be’ when you yourself are safe,” Chapeye writes.
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The Ukrainians are quite literally defending the borders of Europe for them. I completely understand where he’s coming from. We won’t have the luxury to pretend it won’t affect us for much longer though.
Meanwhile the EU spent more money on Russia energy resources since the full scale invasion than Ukraine received in aid (both military and civil combined). Various sanctioned parts made it to Russia from EU manufacturers.
It seems that the Russian invasion is seen as less of a threat in the higher echelons of economic and political power and is more of a business opportunity instead.
Insofar the course of the EU has increased the number of people killed and the destruction caused through bankrolling both the Ukrainian defender and the Russian attacker. It seems only since the beginning of this year, with Ukraine hanging by a thread and Trump throwing antics in Washington that the actual stance is changing and sanctions are enacted more seriously.
Many people just think, that “it’s happening somewhere else” to soothe their anxiety, that it’s not going to get to them or whatever, or that it’s simply not their problem.
And I’ll be honest - I also was like that, even while our city officials were testing air raid sirens and doing alarm drills, I, while deeply unsettled by these preparations, hoped that it’ll pass and that’s all bluff. Until one morning.
I hate all the people, no matter which idiologie, that are against the defense of europe and ukraine. Be it faar right or faar left, if you are against more defense spending and therefor indipendence and protection from russia, china and USA, you are not on my good side
How can Europe protect itself against the USA?
China, with far more production capabilities than EU, prepares to protect itself from America. At some point, how can Europe defend against that army?
The only realistic and useful defence spending is against Russia.
At some point spending on defence cuts into the budget for progress. How much defence spending is enough that we don’t need more?
