To write without mentioning the World Cup, which started this week in Qatar, could be considered pedantic. I don’t want to fall into this trap. So, from what has happened so far, I highlight the courage of the Iranian team, which was silent, did not sing when their national anthem was played. This attitude was extraordinary. This emphatically marked the support of the players for the people of their country, who were on the streets for weeks to challenge the medieval rule of the Shia clerics and fight for freedom and equality in the treatment of all, men and people. women. This is not a mixture of football and politics. There are others, at the top of the state, who do this. Yes, this is a memory that human rights should be above all. Whenever politics is built on this basis at the domestic and international levels, the world will be completely different, more harmonious and benevolent. And less cynically, in the political sphere.
The show, set in Qatar, reminds us of three important facts. First, the diversity of the peoples of the globe. The culture of each of them must be respected and appreciated. We always have the opportunity to learn something from others. And racism has no place either in sports or in everyday life. Secondly, there are rivers of money flowing around football. I’m not talking about the billions spent by the host country. I will only mention that the great football teams are in the northern hemisphere: of the 32 participants in the tournament, about 22 come from the richest countries. This game is played in almost every corner of the world, big stars are known everywhere, but without resources there are no victories, without currency clubs and tackles nothing more than a fraudulent stock. Thirdly, football revives primal nationalisms, anything as long as you win, including the blessing of the hand of God, in the famous version of Maradona. Not the best will win, but my selection. This is not a sport, this is blinding anything, with a lit candle and faith in God.
Speaking of candles, let me remind you that Vladimir Putin’s military is trying to turn Ukraine into a country that should spend the winter by candlelight. This is Russia’s tactic of the cold months: the capitulation of Ukraine on the basis of the suffering of Ukrainians, in cold houses without water, in idle enterprises, in devastated hospitals. That is why they criminally bombard Ukraine with dozens of missiles and drones day and night in order to destroy the country’s electrical infrastructure. In Kyiv, they have already managed to dismantle the water supply system. These are crimes against the civilian population, very close to the legal figure of genocide. Commentators who do not condemn this practice, in my opinion, are complicit in these crimes.
But Russian tactics may not work. There are no visible signs of negotiations, and anyone who talks about a Russian ultimatum must be a regular on the crazy streets. It is true that Russia is showing signs of willingness to negotiate, not only because it is losing on the ground, but also because of the diplomatic isolation caused by the war. But he does not want to accept the only possibility of ending the war: withdrawal from the occupied territories through negotiations.
From the Ukrainian side, President Zelensky conveyed the political response to the G20. And the military response is based on two main pillars: the strengthening of air defense and the training and constant deployment of various special forces groups. These groups act as advanced units capable of penetrating the eastern bank of the Dnieper, beyond Kherson and deep into the Donbass, reaching the coastal regions of the Sea of Azov, including Crimea. They will inflict great damage and defeat the masses of Russian recruits who have no military experience and are relatively easy targets due to their numbers and logistical needs. The goal is to hit Russian morale. Once this is achieved, anything can happen, be it in the Kremlin or at the negotiating table. But especially in the Kremlin. Without comparison with Doha, the truth is that it is still unknown how and when the clash will end.
International Security Advisor.
Former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations
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