Q. Russia and Ukraine war has been going on for the last seven months. Different countries have taken independent stands and actions keeping in view their own national interests. We are all aware that war has its own impact on the different aspects of society, including human tragedy. What are those ethical issues that are crucial to be considered while launching the war and its continuation so far? Illustrate with justification the ethical issues involved in the given state of affair.

Model Answer: 

The Russia-Ukraine conflict highlights the severe ethical dilemmas of statecraft, requiring careful assessment through the “Just War Theory” framework.

Ethical Issues in Launching and Continuing War

• Just Cause (Jus ad bellum): Initiating war must strictly be for self-defense, avoiding territorial expansionism (UN Charter Article 2).
• Last Resort: Exhausting all peaceful diplomatic channels before reverting to violence.
• Proportionality (Jus in bello): Harm caused during the war’s continuation must not outweigh the intended military advantage.
• Non-Combatant Immunity: Absolute ethical and legal prohibition on targeting innocent civilians (Geneva Conventions).

Contextual Illustration in the Russia-Ukraine Crisis

• Humanitarian Tragedy: Indiscriminate bombing of civilian infrastructure violates the fundamental sanctity of human life (e.g., Mariupol crisis).
• Global Collateral Damage: Weaponizing global energy and grain supplies acts as collective punishment, disproportionately harming the uninvolved Global South.
• Sovereign Autonomy: Breaching territorial integrity violates the ethical principle of sovereign equality and a nation’s right to self-determination.
• Nuclear Brinkmanship: Repeated threats of nuclear escalation violate global intergenerational equity and environmental ethics.

Ultimately, international relations must transcend realist power-politics, prioritizing the Gandhian ideals of dialogue, continuous diplomacy, and universal human rights to ensure global peace.