Report on War in Ukraine

Cadmus Journal has published a special report to WAAS titled THE WAR IN UKRAINE: Global Perspectives on Causes and Consequences on the War in Ukraine, including 25+ articles on the origins, root causes, impact on global society, future consequences and possible solutions.

Edited by

• Garry Jacobs, President & CEO of WAAS
• Donato Kiniger-Passigli, Vice-President of WAAS
• Ranjani Ravi, Associate Fellow of WAAS; Senior Research Fellow, The Mother’s Service Society, India

Preface

For the past five months, national and global media have been filled with news regarding the war in Ukraine, its immediate consequences and future implications viewed from the perspective of different nations, regions, communities, sectors, ideologies and stakeholder groups. This report on the War in Ukraine contains a series of papers by Fellows of the World Academy of Art & Science (WAAS) and invited guests reflecting on the causes and significance of the Russian invasion and the anticipated consequences of the war from the perspective of global society as a whole. The authors draw lessons and present insights from recent and historical events to address issues of great concern for the future of the human community.

The report seeks to reach beyond the news flooding the media daily. It is dedicated to a broader and deeper examination of the root causes and circumstances which led to the invasion of Ukraine, its historical precedents, missed opportunities, the pressure of unresolved nationalistic and complex cultural identities, the residue of past events, and the search for security in a world undergoing ever-increasing rates of social change, restructuring and evolution in its movement toward a future which is as yet difficult even to envision no less to guide, govern and lead.

Too many unanticipated recent events have already surprised and shocked leaders, experts and the general public to attempt with any confidence the prognostication of eventual outcomes. The war in Ukraine is still on-going. Its eventual outcomes and impacts are difficult to foresee because they are yet to be determined. Critical choices are yet to be made. It is not too late for all those concerned to make them more wisely.

Conscious of these limitations to our knowledge, the report considers the most likely immediate and longer-term implications of the war for the countries of this region, refugees of the war, other vulnerable populations and the global community of nations. It explores a wide range of political, economic, social and ecological issues and their likely impact on global affairs. It also reflects on the deeper forces and factors which will need to be addressed in order to prevent the expansion and repetition of similar events in future. Peace, the common security of nations and the human security of people around the world will be determined by how we respond in thought and action.

As a transnational organization, the mission of WAAS is to address the global challenges confronting humanity from a non-partisan perspective. The specific issues and examples examined are selected because they are representative of global problems with implications for humanity-at-large. The views expressed in the chapters of this report are those of their authors, rather than the official position of the World Academy of Art & Science, which is described in the first chapter “A Time for Solidarity”.