I have added at the end of this post a link to a video that shows the solidarity in Poland, and links to organisations you can support for this war and other conflicts and wars.

I hesitated posting the first part as it’s quite political. I don’t think I have the right ideas, the right knowledge, and others don’t. This is my attempt to understand the situation, and not The Truth.

 

I am trying to make sense of what’s happening at the moment, and of our reaction in western Europe.

I am trying to understand but not excuse, I want to make this clear.

Why is it that we react so strongly about the war in Ukraine when we probably didn’t individually, and nationally, react that way in relation to other conflicts and wars elsewhere in the world?

There is a racist aspect, that belief that white people are worth more than everyone else. Maybe as an individual you have always wanted all migrants to be treated the same, or even are involved in the process. But we live in a racist society. It’s subtle, but it is the case. I never knew how much until listening to accounts of people experiencing it. This systemic racism influences all society and how we related to others, including migrants.

There is a geographical and cultural aspect, I think : we are a bit like cousins who don’t see each other that often.
We are affected by the consequences of that war directly economically but also emotionally. We have in mind the ideal that the European Union was built on: keeping peace, at least on the European sub-continent.

There is the fact that we have gotten used to seeing conflicts and wars in other parts of the world. They should not happen, but we are not so surprised because we have “always” seen them since we were kids.
I talked about it with my mum, who watches the news more than me, and she has the same feeling: we talk a lot more about conflicts and wars elsewhere in the world than when they happen in Europe.

Side note: how much has the West really helped, and how much has it made things so much worse in all those conflicts? We are white of skin but not of actions – and intentions.
Second side note: from what I understand, NATO, the EU, the US and other influential countries have a part of responsibility in the war in Ukraine. Again, we are not so innocent .
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