The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk recently proclaimed: “Despite harrowing stories of human suffering unfolding every day in the Ukraine, I fear that the world has grown numb to the crisis. It is now over two years since the Russian Federation launched its full-scale armed attack on the country. Two years of immense suffering, bloodshed, loss and grief. Countless families have been separated.”
He noted that more than 10,500 civilians have been killed and over 20,000 have been injured, noting that the actual figures are likely much higher. In the wake of this statement by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Pope Francis pleaded not to “yield to the logic of weapons and rearming. Peace is never made with arms, but with outstretched hands and open hearts. In calling for respect for the principles of international law, I express my hope for a general exchange of all prisoners between Russia and the Ukraine.”
Pope Francis’s Easter message came after UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres proclaimed, “When we live in a chaotic world, it’s very important to stick to principles and the principles are clear: the UN Charter, international law and the territorial integrity of countries and international humanitarian law. That is the reason why we believe that it is essential to have peace for the Ukraine.”
Human Rights Watch added, “Russian forces committed a litany of violations of international humanitarian law, including indiscriminate and disproportionate bombing and shelling of civilian areas that hit homes and healthcare and educational facilities. Some of these attacks should be investigated as war crimes. In areas that they occupied, Russian or Russian affiliated forces committed apparent war crimes including torture, summary executions, sexual violence, enforced disappearances, and looting of cultural property.”
They added: “Those who attempted to flee areas of fighting faced terrifying ordeals and numerous obstacles; in some cases, Russian forces forcibly transferred significant number of Ukrainians to Russia or Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine and subjected many to abusive security screenings. Russian forces countrywide repeated attacks on Ukraine’s energy and other critical infrastructure appeared aimed at terrorizing civilians and making their life unsustainable, which is a war crime.”
At a time like this, the only thing that can save Ukraine is peaceful negotiations with Russia. Otherwise, the Russians could finish off Zelensky in the same manner that they slaughtered the Syrian Opposition and secured the tyrannous rule of Bashar Al Assad. For this reason, the entire international community must do everything in order to bring about a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine crisis.
Azerbaijan is a country that can play a pivotal role in encouraging peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, for it is a country that enjoys positive relations with both sides. Azerbaijan, as a country that is part of the former Soviet Union who is also a strong ally of NATO, sympathizes very much with the plight of the Ukrainian people and sends Ukraine humanitarian aid.
At the same time, Azerbaijan also lives in fear of the power of Moscow and for this reason, the Azerbaijanis have opted to also try and maintain a positive relationship with Russia. The fact that Azerbaijan has been successful with this enables them to be a good mediator to end the war between Russia and the Ukraine.
Israel, like Azerbaijan, also tries to maintain good relations with both countries. Although we sympathize with the Ukrainian people, Russia’s presence in Syria has left us with a reality where we must also be on good terms with Putin. Otherwise, we cannot go after Iran in Syria. For this reason, Israel could also play a role in mediation.
However, Azerbaijan is the preferred choice, because Israel is right now in the middle of a major war, while Azerbaijan has recently finished its war with Armenia and now is in the process of rebuilding their country. For this reason, they are more available to do what is necessary to help both countries reach a peaceful solution for the benefits of both peoples and all of humanity.