Even if the hostilities in Ukraine end soon, it will not would mean the end of the war, but only its postponement for a few years, believes one of the most popular and influential American and Ukrainian historians and the head of the Ukrainian Research Institute at Harvard University, Professor Serhiy Plokhi, quoted by Ukrinform, BTA reported.
In an interview with the Ukrainian news agency, he emphasized that the concept of what victory is has changed a lot in recent decades. According to the scientist, the general ideas about what victory is were formed with the victory in May 1945 and the liquidation of Nazi Germany.
"This is a key paradigm that exists. The world has changed since May 1945. It has gone nuclear, the rules of the game and the understanding of victory have changed. I would like to draw attention to the end of the Cold War, which was definitely won by the US and its allies. And, of course, the Soviet Union lost it. This is a different understanding of victory than what we associate with May 1945. We have to take into account what can and cannot be a victory," Plohi pointed out.
According to the professor, victory is a multi-layered phenomenon and in the last century there have been many different models of victory and loss. "The key though – for both the win and the loss – is what happens on the battlefield. There should be no illusions that if something goes wrong on the battlefield, the Swiss summit will suddenly fix it. "Diplomats outline the results of what the military has achieved or lost on the front," the historian said.
According to Professor Plohi, the victory for Ukraine will be related to the preservation of the nation, the state, identity and freedom of choice. "In the conditions when not only the independence of Ukraine, but also the very existence of the state of Ukraine, of the Ukrainian nation, has become an object of aggression and this issue has not been finally resolved, the preservation of the nation, the state, the identity and the freedom optional is the essential part. This is how we should view victory. Compromise on any of these key elements would be... defeat. Compromise on things that do not affect the main goals is likely. It may not be the peace we want. Or maybe it won't happen now, not right away. But that would be a kind of victory," the historian emphasized.