PEACE IN TRUTH AND JUSTICE BETWEEN UKRAINE AND RUSSIA: With Objections and Replies

De: JOSEF SEIFERT

Narrado por: Virtual Voice

Recognition of the justice and injustice in two closely interconnected wars: the Ukrainian Civil War (2014-) and the Ukrainian-Russian war (2022-) is the condition of a just peace. The justice or injustice of a war results from the war-aims, but also from just or criminal warfare.
Its aims may make a war just, its warfare criminal. It can also be just in relation to some aims, unjust in relation to others.
Wars can be just with respect to positive law (constitutions) but unjust according to eternal principles of justice.
An unjust aim of one party in the conflict makes a defense just; the warfare may be equally just or unjust and criminal on both sides.
On the basis of these distinctions, a judgment is reached about the Ukrainian government's war against the autonomy and secession of its oblasts. From the point of view of warfare both parties committed many crimes and unjust actions that call for sanction. From the point of view of its goals, the government’s war is just according to positive law because the Ukrainian constitution contains no permission of independence of its provinces. From the point of view of international law, and above all of natural law, the government’s war is unjust because each person and each majority of a province has a natural right to independence.
Russia's war has four different aims, all unjust according to positive law but one of them just according to higher justice and natural law, others unjust from both points of view.
On that basis, a peace proposal based on truth and justice contradicts some Ukrainian and some Russian positions:
The natural and international right to independence and secession of Ukrainian provinces, given the majority of its citizens wish it, a right that was the foundation of the separation of the British colonies from England that marked the beginning of the United States, is a higher right than the right given or not given through the Ukrainian constitution. Therefore, the war of the Ukrainian government against the independence of oblasts is unjust.
The fourth war-aim of Russia, the complete conquest and privation of Ukraine of its autonomy and independence, is totally unjust for many reasons. Therefore, the heroic defense of Ukraine against unjust Russian aggression is just.
Hence, a peace in truth and justice requires a total and internationally secured renunciation of Russia’s aspirations and actions aiming at dissolving the Ukraine as an independent free state. On the other hand, a just peace requires from the Ukraine a recognition of the already exercised rights of the Crimea and four other provinces to independence and secession.
A just peace also requires stopping all oppression of religious and cultural communities; work towards a true culture of peace and reconciliation; cultural and economic cooperation; Sanctions for war crimes and restitution to the extent possible.
Upon Russia signing the terms of this peace Treaty, the sanctions against Russia should be lifted but only gradually and under strict supervision.
A fascinating and deeply philosophical and historical discussion of 11 objections, some of which would be devastating, against the content of the proposed Peace Treaty, and Replies follow. Starting from the question whether there is any civil war or solely a Ukrainian-Russian war, each § of the Treaty is scrutinized carefully and an analysis of natural rights versus merely positive rights is given.
The constitution of Liechtenstein that recognizes the rights of independence and secession of each municipality as superior to the integrity of Borders proves to be a model of peace in the Ukraine and in the world, solving the logical contradiction between the rights to independence and secession and the principle of integrity of Borders. The paragraphs of the Peace Treaty are defended in a sober and superior dialectical way and make this peace plan the best founded and most just one thus far.