It will be instructive to try and understand what the two sides engaged in the Ukraine war, are trying to defend against. Currently, there is too much focus on the personalities behind the war as the driving forces on both sides. An objective understanding will help clear the muddled thought processes going on.
What is the thought process of the West that has led to building up of distrust within Russia that finally led to the invasion of Ukraine? Knowing well that Russia will be provoked, why does the West insist on inviting Ukraine into the fold of NATO? What is the West trying to defend or promote? Why does it consider Russia as different from the West and therefore needs to be kept under check?
The West considers Russia to be an oligarchy and undemocratic, which may be true. But is the West perfect enough to make judgement on other nations, when true democracy and fruits of freedom are still out-of-reach to vast majority of its own people? Conscientious behavior requires identification of one's own faults before pointing the finger towards the other.
Though Mr. Putin is the face of the Russian side of war, what is the thought process behind him and his supporters? Though Capitalism is associated with the West and Socialism with Russia (or erstwhile USSR), these are different facets of human thought, the common purpose being the best way to organize the society along productive lines. Historically, the Russian mindset is more concerned with equality rather than freedom for its people. The mindset of the West is more concerned with individuality and freedom rather than equality.
While Russia started assimilating capitalism within its system, its mindset is still wary of unrestricted capitalism in the name of individualism and unrestricted freedom. The West, by considering Russia as different, has only demonstrated its inability to appreciate the start of the process of assimilation of capitalism by Russia. There is no point in blaming Russia for its hesitancy in embracing individualism and unrestricted freedom.
Individualism and unrestricted freedom are not perfect ways of life for humanity as a whole. It has led to increasing inequalities and a take-over by corporates in the name of capitalism. The resistance shown by Russia to unrestricted individualism and freedom is thus beneficial to humanity as a whole. The West should take a broader view of matters, understand thought processes and stop demonizing Russia.
False propaganda and wishful thinking will not change things for the better. Taking an objective view of matters will help everyone arrive at a balanced understanding. Ignoring the deep-seated thought processes of both sides and persisting with superficial personality-oriented actions can only lead to clash of fundamental perceptions and plunge the world into an already imminent nuclear catastrophe. A clash of thought processes can become an opportunity for creative processes by the simple process of understanding the other's point of view.
