Dec 9, 2025

KYIV –

The world is holding its breath as diplomacy to end Russia’s brutal war of aggression against Ukraine intensifies. But while necessary and welcome, this latest diplomatic push carries enormous risks. Given the evident haste to secure a deal, there is every reason to worry that the resulting “peace” will be empty, unjust and ultimately unsustainable.

Russia’s recent large-scale attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian civilian population centers underscore the urgency of the situation, because they are merely the latest episode in a larger pattern of escalation. The brutal reality is that Ukrainian civilian casualties have been significantly higher in 2025 than in 2024. Making matters worse, Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure have already caused widespread blackouts, leading many Ukrainians to fear that they are heading into the harshest winter since the full-scale invasion began.

We all have a duty to look beyond the statistics and acknowledge the enormous daily impact on people’s lives. The human toll is staggering. In addition to the casualties and physical suffering, around 6 million people, including 1.6 million children, are living in the 20% of Ukraine’s territory that remains temporarily occupied by Russia. They are being subjected to severe abuse, having had their language, national and cultural identity and dignity stripped away. Moreover, another 3.7 million people have been internally displaced and 6.9 million have fled abroad. Such large-scale displacements — the largest in Europe in 80 years — have fractured families and driven up poverty rates.