Sustained destruction need not snuff out the possibility of resurrection. That seemed to be the message of the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, who declared that the country has been reborn months into a conflict that has led to suffering and trauma not just in Ukraine but around the world. Mr Zelensky was speaking to mark two solemn occasions: Ukraine’s Independence Day as well as the completion of six months of bloodshed with Russia. The need to sustain the morale of his troops and citizens was, thus, evident. After all, Ukraine has suffered more in this clash between two disproportionate military forces. The civilian casualties have been heavy as a result of cynical Russian tactic; millions of Ukrainians have been displaced; Kyiv’s war cost has ballooned to over $113 billion; its infrastructure and economy lie ravaged; about 20 per cent of its national territory has been ceded to the aggressor.Yet — remarkably — helmed by a resolute president, Ukraine lives to fight another day.

The six-month-long crisis should also be an occasion of reflection for the global fraternity. One of the bitter lessons being that in spite of the existence of the United Nations and multilateral blocs of deterrence, Vladimir Putin has got away with his crime. The financial curbs on Russia have had limited effect; the supply of arms to Ukraine is unlikely to deter Moscow. This brings to light the need for more effective checks and balances against rogue leaders. But does the world have any at its disposal? The other issue concerns the prioritisation of strategic interests over moral imperatives by Russia’s critics. For all their vocal condemnation and retaliatory economic measures,Europe and Germany have not been able to sever their dependence on Russian gas and energy supplies. India, too, has walked a fine line, demanding the cessation of hostilities in Ukraine without causing too much heartburn to the Russian bear, a long-time ally of New Delhi. It can be argued that the interconnected nature of the globalised economy,along with an increasingly fragmented world order, has been instrumental in limiting the scope of deterrence against Mr Putin’s predations. An immediate resolution to the conflict looks unlikely:the outgoing British prime minister on a visit to Kyiv has already warned against ‘flimsy negotiations’to end the war. Another six months of horror cannot be ruled out at the moment.