With the ongoing increase in the price of foodstuffs and other essential items, it is now very common to hear people complaining about how much their grocery shopping spend has increased.
A visit to the supermarket now costs up to 20% more than it did a year ago.
Prices had already started shooting up as a result of the Covid pandemic, but the war in Ukraine has had more severe economic effects.
More specifically, this is the result of the sanctions imposed by the EU against Moscow, as well as on the shortage of grains and cereals from Ukraine, caused by the Russian blockade of its ports.
While it is only natural for people to complain about rising food prices, one must keep in mind that we – and that means all Europeans – are very lucky compared to the Ukrainian people.
Our complaints, while justified in a normal scenario, seem trivial when compared to the suffering that the Ukrainian people are going through on a daily basis.
The Russian invasion has already displaced millions of families. Large parts of the country lie in ruins. Thousands have been killed in the fighting. Innocent people have been murdered by Russian forces, and up to ten thousand Ukrainian soldiers have lost their lives in defence of their country. The latest estimate is that between 100 and 200 Ukrainian soldiers are being killed every day as the war in the east rages on.
Yet for many people, the war in Ukraine is only becoming a topic of interest now, just because they are directly feeling the pinch … because the war is hurting their pockets.
Sanctions will always affect other countries besides those directly targeted by them. They often lead to counter sanctions. Take what Russia did with its blockage of gas supplies to European states that are closely supporting Ukraine.
The unfortunate reality is that wars cause economic hardship, often on a global level.
This is why the world should do more to ensure that the conflict in Ukraine comes to a swift end.
Having said that, the primary motivation to bring peace to Ukraine should not be the economic effects that we are feeling, but rather the senseless death and destruction that the conflict is causing.
Finding a solution is not easy, but the West should not let Russia get its way with Ukraine. It would probably not stop there, anyway. The Kremlin would probably soon have another ex-Soviet state under its gaze. Putin’s talk of ‘taking back what’s ours’ does give a very clear indication of Russia’s future intentions.
Unfortunately, there seems to be no effective way for the West to help end this war apart from sending more and more weapons for Ukraine to be able to defend itself and repel the attackers.
The unfortunate truth is that this war will go on for another while, and its economic effects will be felt for months, if not years to come.
Once again, while it is understandable that people will complain about the increase in prices, we must never forget that in Ukraine, people are dying on a massive scale every day.