POL 109 Essay 1

POL109 October 24, 2023 Evaluating the Moral Justification of The Russia-Ukraine War Throughout human history, we have acknowledged the works of ancient and classical thinkers as indispensable and timeless sources of wisdom that can provide valuable insights into the contemporary world. As expressed by American novelist Pearl S. Buck (1892-1973) "If you want to understand today, you have to search yesterday," 1 . This rings true in the volatile world of modern international relations where we see the complexities of power dynamics, ethics, and global conflicts. Despite dating back hundreds, sometimes even thousands of years, the observations and reflections made by ancient thinkers are valuable because their works allow us to consider ethics, morals, and history when we look at contemporary politics. This essay argues that there is merit in studying the work of classical philosophers in the context of modern politics. The philosophical perspectives of Thucydides and Francesco de Vitoria are useful in assessing morality and ethics in modern conflicts. With the example of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Thucydides' moral justifications for war and Vitoria's perspectives about restrictions in modern warfare reflect the importance of considering the works of ancient and classical thinkers in contemporary politics. The philosophical work of Thucydides provides valuable insights about the justifications for why states go to war and could have helped to predict Russia's aggression towards Ukraine. 1 “A Quote by Pearl S. Buck,” Goodreads, accessed October 23, 2023, https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/267037-if-you-want-to-understand-today-you-have-to-search . 1

In his book, "The History of the Peloponnesian Wars," the Ancient Greek philosopher 2 Thucydides' argues that there are several reasons why states might go to war. Most pertinent to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Thucydides cites fear, the violation of rights, and self-preservation as reasons for a morally justified war 3 . While studying Russian aggression in Ukraine, the historical parallels with the Peloponnesian War become more apparent, and Thucydides' insights hold more relevance. There are various theories about the reasons for Russian aggression in Ukraine. Some political scientists such as Taras Kuzio, for example, argue that Russia's motivations for invading Ukraine are based on Russian Imperialism 4 . Other experts in the field, however, such as John Mearsheimer, argue that this is a baseless claim, and Russian invasion of Ukraine is based on fear of NATO's activities in Ukraine 5 . While it is difficult to determine the true causes of war 6 . Mearsheimer's argument that the conflict in Russia and Ukraine stemmed from fear seems credible. Mearsheimer explains that NATO's attempts to integrate Ukraine into the EU are alarming to Russia, and create a fear that Ukraine will turn into a "pro-Western liberal democracy" 7 . Russian dissatisfaction with this attempt has been clear since the 2008 annual NATO summit, where the integration of Ukraine and Georgia into the EU was first proposed. Russia's reaction was immediate, and they made it clear that this decision "was an existential threat to Russia" 8 . In the following years, Russia's stance on this has remained unchanged, with 8 John J Mearsheimer, “The Causes and Consequences of the Ukraine War,” Horizons , 2022, Summer edition, sec. 1, 19. 7 John J Mearsheimer, “The Causes and Consequences of the Ukraine War,” Horizons , 2022, Summer edition, sec. 1, 18. 6 David Zarnett, “Week #3 Lecture Slides,” Might & Right: Power and Justice in International Relations (lecture, September 2023). 5 John J Mearsheimer, “The Causes and Consequences of the Ukraine War,” Horizons , 2022, Summer edition, sec. 1. 4 Taras Kuzio, “Imperial Nationalism as the Driver behind Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine,” Nations and Nationalism 29, no. 1 (2022): 30–38, https://doi.org/10.1111/nana.12875. 3 Thucydides and Pelling C B R., “Chapter III: Congress of the Peloponnesian Confederacy at Lacedaemon,” in The History of the Peloponnesian War (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2022). 2 David Zarnett, “Week #2 Lecture Slides,” Might & Right: Power and Justice in International Relations (lecture, September 2023). 2

of Russia's conduct in the war raised moral concerns about Russia's offensive strategies in the war. Out of the total 460,000 casualties in the war 11 , there have been around 25,170 civilian casualties, including 9,000 deaths 12 and 16,000 injuries 13 in 2022. These figures alone conflict with Vitoria's stance about the preservation of civilian life in war. Vitoria determinedly believes that "the deliberate (i.e., intentional) slaughter of the innocent is never lawful in itself (i.e., as an end)" 14 . It is this disregard for civilian life that makes a just war morally wrong. In the case of Russia and Ukraine, Amnesty International finds that Russian forces have been indiscriminately attacking Ukraine, resulting in a significant number of civilian casualties in various areas 15 . Moreover, there is mounting evidence of other heinous crimes such as torture, sexual violence, and unlawful killings. These attacks on civilian infrastructure have also violated people's rights to housing, health, and education. Russian forces have also subjected some Ukrainian civilians to torture and other forms of ill-treatment, including physical abuse, electroshock, and threats of execution. Many individuals have been deprived of basic necessities like food and water and were held in overcrowded and hazardous conditions. These actions do not represent Vitoria's commitment to preserving civilian lives, and reflect an immoral war, despite the reasons for war being just. 15 “Human Rights in Ukraine,” Amnesty International, 2022, https://www.amnesty.org/en/location/europe-and-central-asia/ukraine/report-ukraine/. 14 Richard Shelly Hartigan, “Francesco de Vitoria and Civilian Immunity,” Political Theory 1, no. 1 (1973): 79–91, https://doi.org/10.1177/009059177300100109 , 84. 13 News and Press Release, “Ukraine: Civilian Casualties - 24 February 2022 to 30 June 2023 [En/Ru/UK] - Ukraine,” ReliefWeb, July 7, 2023, https://reliefweb.int/report/ukraine/ukraine-civilian-casualties-24-february-2022-30-june-2023-enruuk#:~:te xt=From%2024%20February%202022%2C%20which,9%2C177%20killed%20and%2015%2C993%20inj ured. 12 News and Press Release, “Ukraine: Civilian Casualties - 24 February 2022 to 30 June 2023 [En/Ru/UK] - Ukraine,” ReliefWeb, July 7, 2023, https://reliefweb.int/report/ukraine/ukraine-civilian-casualties-24-february-2022-30-june-2023-enruuk#:~:te xt=From%2024%20February%202022%2C%20which,9%2C177%20killed%20and%2015%2C993%20inj ured. 11 David Zarnett, “Week #1 Lecture Slides,” Might & Right: Power and Justice in International Relations (lecture, September 2023). 4

Vitoria's principles of civil immunity and ethical constraints in warfare offer a framework for assessing the Russia-Ukraine conflict. While Russia's initial justifications for the conflict align with Thucydides' criteria for a just war, the reality of the war's consequences raises moral concerns regarding the tactics employed by Russia. The immense civilian casualties and the treatment of Ukrainian civilians by Russian forces contradict Vitoria's principles regarding the preservation of innocent lives in war. Vitoria's resolute stance that the intentional slaughter of the innocent is never morally permissible highlights the ethical issues arising from Russia's actions in this conflict. In conclusion, the words of ancient and classical philosophers like Thucydides and Francesco de Vitoria provide valuable insights for evaluating modern-day politics. Thucydides' observations about the moral justifications for war shed light on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, justifying Russia's invasion of Ukraine by revealing Russian fears of geopolitical shifts in the region, On the other hand, Vitoria's principles of civil immunity and ethical constraints in warfare offer a pertinent framework to assess the Russia-Ukraine conflict. While the initial justifications for this conflict may align with the criteria for a just war, the immense civilian casualties and inhumane treatment of Ukrainian civilians by Russian forces contradict Vitoria's principles, revealing a breach of moral integrity. The deliberate slaughter of the innocent is morally indefensible, and this underscores the ethical concerns raised by Russia's actions in this war. The ancient wisdom of philosophers like Thucydides and Vitoria continues to guide for understanding of contemporary politics and moral dilemmas that persist across the ages. 5