End of Ukraine
Giorgio Agamben, Quodlibet, June 13, 2025
The war in Ukraine is approaching to its conclusion which, however it takes shape, will inevitably coincide with the debacle of the “former Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic” (before which a Ukrainian state had never existed, and it is well to remember that Crimea — which Zelenskyy does nothing but claim — was transferred to the Ukrainian Soviet Republic only in 1954 by Khrushchev and, according to the census of that year, was populated by 72% Russians). As the European ruling class has been repeating over and over again: we will be with Ukraine till the end. But inevitably this end will also imply the fate of Europe. What will Europe do and say when the end of Ukraine, which they contributed to make catastrophic, will be a fait accompli? According to the prediction of the most cautious political observers, it is probable that even the identity of the present European community, which has no other legal status than that of an international agreement between states, will be called in question. And this is the only positive consequence which we can expect from the war in Ukraine, otherwise, like all wars, woeful.
Giorgio Agamben, Quodlibet, June 13, 2025
The war in Ukraine is approaching to its conclusion which, however it takes shape, will inevitably coincide with the debacle of the “former Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic” (before which a Ukrainian state had never existed, and it is well to remember that Crimea — which Zelenskyy does nothing but claim — was transferred to the Ukrainian Soviet Republic only in 1954 by Khrushchev and, according to the census of that year, was populated by 72% Russians). As the European ruling class has been repeating over and over again: we will be with Ukraine till the end. But inevitably this end will also imply the fate of Europe. What will Europe do and say when the end of Ukraine, which they contributed to make catastrophic, will be a fait accompli? According to the prediction of the most cautious political observers, it is probable that even the identity of the present European community, which has no other legal status than that of an international agreement between states, will be called in question. And this is the only positive consequence which we can expect from the war in Ukraine, otherwise, like all wars, woeful.
(English translation by I, Robot)
Vasily Vasilyevich Vereshchagin, The Apotheosis of War, 1871. Courtesy of WikiArt. |
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