Most importantly the war must be halted immediately so that peace can eventually prevail in Europe.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has opened up a violent and bloody new chapter for 2022.

Before the war broke out, hundreds of thousands of Russian troops had already assembled at the Ukrainian borders, sparking speculations of an imminent war despite the fact Russia had denied it over and again.

Sadly, the war officially started when Moscow drove its tanks into Ukraine last Thursday.

There is a big disparity in the military strengths of Russia and Ukraine, putting the latter under tremendous pressure to defend its territorial integrity.

Following the decisions of the US and its allies to stay out of the war, Ukraine now has to fight the powerful invaders all on its own.

Although no foreign troops have been sent to Ukraine, the country has received all kinds of assistance, including military equipment and funds. Neighbouring countries like Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Czech and Slovakia have already sent in ammunition, fuels and medical supplies.

In the meantime, Germany has pledged to provide Ukraine with anti-tank weapons and Stinger surface-to-air missiles, while US President Joe Biden has instructed the state department to allocate $350 million for Ukrainian military aid. All this will help Ukraine defend itself against the Russian aggressors.

Several days into the offensives, although the Russians still have the absolute upper hand, they are met with strong resistance from the Ukrainians.

More casualties will ensue if the fight goes on, and unarmed civilians will take the brunt of it. Although Russia has repeatedly stressed that it will only target Ukraine’s military installations and will not harm the civilians, the UN confirmed last Saturday that 64 Ukrainian civilians had perished in the war while 240 others were injured. It is believed that the actual numbers could be a lot higher!

Such a tragic turn of event should not have happened in the first place and should have been averted by all means. Political leaders cannot be spared from their responsibilities for bringing things this far.

War is never the best solution to human problems in our civilized world today. Amiable settlement should be sought through negotiations. Deployment of war machines will only send the conflict escalating while creating more hatred.

Fortunately after the war started, anti-war protests have been staged in many cities around the world, including those in Russia. This shows that peace is what most people are after globally.

Moscow has given plenty of excuses to justify its aggression, but none can change the fact that it has indeed infringed upon the territorial integrity of another independent sovereign state.

All disputes must be put back on the negotiation table and be settled in more civilized manners, not through a war that decimates large numbers of human lives.

Human lives are priceless. Who will do justice for those innocent civilians killed in the war? Russia’s invasion must be reprimanded in the strongest terms by all peace lovers across the world. Such iniquity must never be tolerated.

The war is still raging and the misery is still lingering in Ukraine. Peace must return to the country as soon as possible.

Although Russia has invaded Ukraine, many believe it doesn’t actually have the ability nor the will to occupy the country, and there is still room for negotiation.

A prolonged war will not do Moscow any good because it burns money and will invite more sanctions from the West, meaning the Russian economy will see very tough time ahead.

Stay away from the battleground and back to the negotiation table. Whether Ukraine will join NATO is something they can still talk, but most importantly the war must be halted immediately so that peace can eventually prevail in Europe.

Humans have witnessed countless of big and small wars over the centuries. We have seen the hell of destruction and have also enjoyed the sweet taste of peace in modern-day world, but why are there still so many who have yet to learn to cherish peace?