Kent expert on Russian and European politics warns it is time for the world to wake up to avert such a doomsday scenario.
Professor Richard Sakwa, of Kent’s School of Politics and International Relations writes in The Conversation that a war between Russia and the Atlantic community really would be a war to end all wars, and the emphasis now must be on averting that scenario.
In his article, Professor Sakwa, who is an Associate Fellow of the Russia and Eurasia Programme of Chatham House, says there must now be honest recognition of earlier mistakes by all sides, and the beginning of a new and more substantive process of engagement.
‘Instead of piling more fuel on a fire that is already in danger of getting out of control, it would be wiser to start a diplomatic process,’ he says.
Professor Sakwa points out that describing Vladamir Putin’s behaviour as ‘increasingly aggressive’ has made the phrase ‘russian aggression’ part of the standard language, without thinking of what created such a dangerous situation in the first place.