Momentum is building for war in Ukraine
Vladimir Putin is courting disaster for Russia’s neighbour—and himself
THE FIRST WORLD WAR became inevitable once mobilisation orders had been issued in Berlin, argued A.J.P. Taylor, a British historian. The complexities of early-20th-century railway timetables, upon which troop movements then depended, made any alteration virtually impossible. Modern armies do not suffer the same constraints. But as Russia sends more and more units to Ukraine’s borders, a grim momentum is building.
Last week’s diplomacy yielded nothing. Some of Vladimir Putin’s demands are impossible for NATO to accept, as he well knew. (Essentially, he wants NATO never to admit new members, and to remove its forces from any country Russia threatens.) On January 19th President Joe Biden said that he expects Russia to “move in” on Ukraine.
This article appeared in the Leaders section of the print edition under the headline "Momentum is building for war"
From the January 20th 2022 edition
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