Wars Are Forever

 

Wars Are Forever

Deepak Razdan

Friday, 20 June, 2025

The New World emerged out of America’s new tariff regime. Nations were expected not to think multilaterally. They were to now think of their own interests first, and then negotiate with the US or other nations.

It was a financial transformation forced on the world by the US. It came suddenly but it changed the scenario completely. The New World has not however given up some of the old world ways.

It still thinks of wars, and quick wars, to settle issues. As a result, instead of trade deals, the world is today witnessing frequent war deals.

Tariff negotiations are forgotten. There are stories about drones and missiles falling over hospitals and nuclear facilities, and about how they destroy lives and property built over years.

First, it was the Russia-Ukraine War. Then came the Palestine-Israel confrontation. As US President Donald Trump made efforts to bring peace and facilitate deals, the Israel-Iran war started and expanded fast.

There was speculation that Mr Trump may direct dropping of 30,000 pounds “bunker-buster” bombs on Iran’s hidden Fordo nuclear site and close permanently Iran’s believed programme to build its own nuclear bombs.

But there was a rethink, apparently. Mr Trump decided to give diplomatic efforts two weeks’ time to make Iran agree not to go ahead with its programme to have a nuclear weapon. Once the deadline is over, what is to follow?

Either there will be extension of time for talks, or the US will decide whether it should intervene in the war, against Iran and in favour of Israel.

On Friday, taking advantage of the two-week “window,” European Foreign Ministers began talks with Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Geneva.

They wanted to negotiate an agreement to end Iran’s war with Israel. Iran was insisting that Israel must first stop bombing Iran.

Iran’s talks with German, UK and French Foreign Ministers and European Union could be the last effort to end the Israel-Iran war before things get worse.

Wars have become easily predictable and accepted as normal, while there are no firm guesses about peace. Wars have a tendency to go on and on to settle an issue, while peace is given weeks and days to show results.

This was not expected after the end of the Second World War and the pain and suffering it brought to humanity 80 years ago.

The Iran Foreign Minister said after the talks that Iran is "ready to consider diplomacy once again once the aggression is stopped" and "the aggressor is held accountable for the heinous crimes committed."

Mr Araghchi said Iran's nuclear programme is peaceful, and that attacks on it are a violation of international law. Iran will continue to "exercise its legitimate right of self-defence," he said. The European Foreign Ministers have a tough job on hand, it is clear.

As the Russia-Ukraine war has defied a solution, the world’s seven most powerful nations, at their G7 Summit in Canada, decided to give more military help to Ukraine against Russia.

Besides Canada, the G7 includes the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Japan. The European Union also attends the group Summits.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on 17th June announced the Summit had decided sanctions on individuals, entities, and vessels that continue to support “Russia’s aggression in Ukraine.”

For Ukraine, there will be “an additional $2 billion in military assistance this year.” The disbursement of a $2.3 billion loan to Ukraine will be made through the G7 Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration Loans mechanism, besides an allocation of $57.4 million in security-related assistance.

Prime Minister Carney as the G7 Chair summarised the Summit conclusions and said the G7 Leaders expressed support for President Trump’s efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.

“They recognized that Ukraine has committed to an unconditional ceasefire, and they agreed that Russia must do the same. G7 Leaders are resolute in exploring all options to maximize pressure on Russia, including financial sanctions,” the G7 decided.

The G7 met with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General Mark Rutte to discuss support for a strong and sovereign Ukraine, including budgetary defence and recovery and reconstruction support.

The group reiterated its commitment to peace and stability in the Middle East. They exchanged views on the evolving situation following Hamas’s terrorist attacks against Israel on 7 October, 2023, and the active conflict between Israel and Iran.

Leaders affirmed Israel’s right to defend itself, and were clear that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon. The Summit acknowledged the links between crisis theatres in Ukraine, the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific.

There was a heated exchange at the United Nations Security Council between Iran and Israel as world powers met to discuss the escalating military conflict.

The UN was created with its goals for preservation of peace between nations, equality of justice for all before the law and the right of the peoples of the world to live their lives in freedom and security.

Other than providing a forum for expression of respective views by different member-nations, the UN has been a witness to power-play of major powers.

If the US joins the Israel-Iran war, it will bring one more super-power participating in a war directly, after Russia. This will leave only super-power China out of any armed conflict, although it may extend support to its allies.

Most powerful nations are currently devoting their attention to raising their defence budgets to two per cent or more of their GDPs, considering how dangerous and divided the world has become today.

Peace it appears is being treated as a mere pause between wars. Wars are considered more decisive in establishing international standing of the powerful nations. Trade deals can evolve accordingly.