Every
war is remembered in history by places, even hundreds of years later.
For Ukraine, the two names now known around the world are Mariupol and
Bucha. The eastern port of Mariupol has been
under siege for weeks, with those left in the ruins of the city
scrounging for shelter, food and medicine. The
northern town of Bucha, on the outskirts of the capital, Kyiv, has
become the center of claims of war crimes committed by Russian troops.
Pictures of unarmed dead civilians, some with hands tied behind their
backs, have ignited global outrage and calls for more sanctions on
Moscow, which says the images are staged. Key Reading: As
Russia withdraws from around Kyiv and refocuses its war campaign on the
east and south, Ukraine has warned more alleged atrocities may come to
light in newly-liberated towns. Bucha may only be the beginning. The
question for Europe will be how far it can now agree to go beyond
expressions of condemnation. NATO won’t send troops (even as it provides
military aid), so the pressure to do more economically to squeeze
Russia will be immense. European Union
sanctions require all members to sign on, and states in eastern Europe
will push hard for action on energy. That puts the biggest economy,
Germany, in the cross-hairs for its opposition to full embargoes on
Russian oil and gas. Kyiv also wants Europe to block any Russian ships
and goods from its ports, severing all trade ties. President
Volodymyr Zelenskiy has not been shy about calling out countries and
companies he feels aren’t doing enough to support Ukraine. He pointedly
told a room of celebrities last night at the Grammy Awards that “our
musicians wear body armor instead of tuxedos.” He may soon turn his glare back to European capitals. — Rosalind Mathieson
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