War has defined world order throughout history. It is the battleground of good versus evil. Indeed, war is not just the meeting of military forces; it is the meeting of values, principles and the basic tenets of human decency and the rule of law. The struggle between these forces is unrelenting, and I must state unequivocally that the stress on these forces is greater now than they have been in the memory of our generation. The outcome could be the catalyst for a new chapter in history of a new world order.
The war between Ukraine and Russia, especially now that it has escalated, is not playing out only on our televisions; it will affect the daily lives of every person around the globe.
Ukraine has had a front-row seat to this war since restoration of its independence from Russia in 1991. Through assaults via cyberwarfare on our military, banks and infrastructure; unrelenting fake news via social media that divides us a nation; blatant disregard for international law and Ukraine’s territorial integrity through the illegal taking of Crimea, the invasion of the Donbas and the official recognition of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent states; and the psychological bullying from a military threat on our borders that has now become real with death and destruction ripping our country apart — this war has been constant and unrelenting.