© Efrem Lukatsky
In the streets of Kiev, Sunday.
The Ukrainians have achieved the impossible. They not only held but also dealt blows to the Russian invader. For how much longer ? Impossible to say. The balance of power on the ground is clearly unfavorable to them, but we know that the nerve of war is not only financial or military, it is also psychological. And on this level, they are the ones who lead. It would be symbolic if they were alone, left to themselves.
But their incredible courage overcame moods and the chronic impotence of the international community. Throughout the weekend, we felt the planet shift. Civil society took to the streets in many capitals, and one leader after another put aside their national selfishness and mustered up their courage, funneling arms to Ukraine and gradually cutting Russia off from rest of the world. Many have understood that much more is at stake in this war than the fate of Ukraine, that of all of Europe and the geopolitical balance of the planet. Nothing is acquired in spite of everything and it would be wrong to be relieved too quickly.
Because Vladimir Putin is not a man to lose face without reacting. He did not hesitate, on Sunday, to let the nuclear threat hover and these threats are to be taken “very seriously” told us François Heisbourg, expert in strategic issues. The essence of nuclear deterrence being precisely to convince the adversary of the risk of annihilation that he takes if he advances further, it is clear that the world is playing with fire. The slightest misinterpreted message, the slightest uncontrolled escalation can lead to disaster. But there is no other possible choice if we want to avoid leaving the advantage permanently to a man ready to do anything, including the worst, to increase his power on the European continent.