Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Time for truce: On the Russia-Ukraine conflict

Time for truce: On the Russia-Ukraine conflict

Russia should use the ceasefire (युद्धविराम, संघर्ष विराम) opportunity to end the war

Ukraine’s decision to accept an ‘immediate, interim (अंतरिम, अस्थायी)’ 30-day ceasefire with Russia, which can be extended upon mutual agreements, is an important first step towards shutting down the three-year-long war. The decision, announced in a joint statement issued by the U.S. and Ukraine, after senior-level talks (वार्ता, बातचीत) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, also shows that U.S. President Donald Trump’s heavy-pressure tactics seem to be working on Kyiv (the capital city of Ukraine), at least for now. Until recently, Ukraine had ruled out any ceasefire, arguing that Moscow would use a truce (an ad-hoc (temporary/makeshift) arrangement, arrived at by the combatants (fighters), to pause the fighting. Temporary cessation/suspension (of hostilities); A deal to stop fighting for a certain time) to rearm (to provide/equip/furnish with new weapons) itself. Ukraine, which had demanded a complete Russian withdrawal (retreat, pullout, pullback, disengagement, departure (of military troops from an area of conflict)) from all the territories it had captured, including Crimea (a peninsula along the northern coast of the Black Sea in Eastern Europe. The peninsula is almost entirely surrounded by both the Black Sea and the smaller Sea of Azov. The status of Crimea is disputed. It is claimed by Ukraine and in 2014 was recognized as Ukrainian by the United Nations and most other countries, but it is governed by Russia. Russia formally annexed Crimea on 18 March 2014), as a pre-condition (necessary condition, essential requirement) for talks, had floated (प्रस्ताव रखना, सुझाना) the idea of freezing (an act of limiting/restricting (something from taking place)) the conflict (संघर्ष, टकराव) on the current line of contact (संपर्क रेखा, संघर्ष रेखा) in return for (बदले में, इसके बदले) NATO (उत्तर अटलांटिक संधि संगठन) membership. Later, Kyiv’s demand shifted to security guarantees (“any implicit or explicit promise given by an outside power to protect” particular parties to a conflict) from the West (पश्चिमी देश, पश्चिमी सभ्यता). But the Trump administration (प्रशासन, सरकार) ratcheted up the pressure by halting all military assistance and intelligence (खुफिया जानकारी, गुप्त सूचना) sharing. Up against the wall (to be in a bad position; to be in a difficult situation) in Jeddah, Ukraine accepted the American proposal and agreed to sign a mineral deal “to expand Ukraine’s economy” and guarantee its “long-term prosperity (समृद्धि, खुशहाली) and security”. The U.S. immediately resumed (फिर से शुरू करना, पुनः प्रारंभ करना) military and intelligence assistance for Kyiv.

But more complicated is the next step. The ball is now “in Russia’s court”, said Marco Rubio, the U.S. Secretary of State (अमेरिकी विदेश मंत्री), after the Jeddah talks. U.S. officials (अधिकारी, पदाधिकारी) are expected to travel to Moscow to discuss the proposal. If there is a ceasefire, Russia and Ukraine are expected to begin direct talks, to bring the war to a definite (definitive, decisive, certain, clear-cut, conclusive, concrete, categorical, unequivocal) end. But, both sides have escalated (increase rapidly, step up, intensify, accelerate, heighten) their air war. Last week, Russia launched massive missile (a self-propelled/rocket-propelled weapon designed to deliver a conventional/nuclear explosive warhead with great accuracy at high speed; projectile) and air strikes (air attack) on Ukraine, targeting its energy infrastructure (the basic physical or organisational structure or framework that a country or organization needs in order to function properly. For a whole nation, it includes all the physical systems such as buildings, roads & railways networks, utilities, etc). On Tuesday, hours before the Jeddah talks began, Ukraine unleashed (let loose, unchain, unshackle, let something go freely/uncontrollably) its largest drone (unmanned aircraft/missile) strike on several parts of Russia, including Moscow. Russia is also making dramatic advances (progress, headway, forward movement) in its Kursk region, where Ukraine still holds on to some territory. If Mr. Trump had leverage (power, authority, sway, clout, influence, control, dominance, say, weight, position, muscle) over Ukraine with which he forced Kyiv into accepting his proposal, he has very little influence (power, authority, sway, clout, leverage, control, dominance, say, weight, position, muscle) over the Kremlin (The name “Kremlin” means “fortress inside a city”, and is often also used metonymically to refer to the official residence of the President of the Russian Federation in a similar sense to how “White House” refers to the Executive Office of the President of the United States; Kremlin is a fortified complex in the center of Moscow city. (Metonym is used as an alternative for something else with which it is closely related/associated)). But Russia should see the tilt (an attempt/effort at winning something) in Washington and the U-turn (reversal, reversal of policy, volte-face, about-face, change of mind, turnaround; withdrawal, pulling back, back down) in Kyiv as an opportunity. It has also suffered huge losses and its relationship with the West, in particular with Europe, has been badly damaged. Its economy is under heavy sanctions (action taken, or an order given to force a country to obey international laws by limiting or stopping trade with that country, by not allowing economic aid for that country, etc). The U.S. has already accepted some of Vladimir Putin’s demands, such as ruling out NATO membership for Ukraine. Instead of continuing this disastrous, illegal war, which has claimed (take, cause the loss of) tens of thousands of lives on both sides, the Kremlin should respond positively to the offer (proposal, suggestion) for truce and start direct talks with Ukraine to find a lasting (enduring, long-lasting, never-ending, perpetual, perennial, long-term, permanent) solution to the conflict.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.ceasefire (noun)

Hindi Meaning - युद्धविराम, संघर्ष विराम
English Meaning - a negotiated agreement that will be accompanied by other associated commitments to de-escalate the fighting; a temporary stoppage of war, truce, armistice.

2.conflict (noun)

Hindi Meaning - संघर्ष, टकराव
English Meaning - war, warfare, armed conflict, military action, armed clash.

3.interim (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - अंतरिम, अस्थायी
English Meaning - provisional, temporary, short-term, transitional.

4.talks (noun)

Hindi Meaning - वार्ता, बातचीत
English Meaning - discussion, discourse, debate, dialogue, deliberation, negotiation, parley.

5.float (verb)

Hindi Meaning - प्रस्ताव रखना, सुझाना
English Meaning - suggest, put forward, propose, come up with.

6.Line of Contact (noun)

Hindi Meaning - संपर्क रेखा, संघर्ष रेखा
English Meaning - In general a “line of contact” refers to the demarcation/delimitation between two or more given armies, whether they are allied or belligerent.

7.in return for (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - बदले में, इसके बदले
English Meaning - in exchange for, in consideration of, in response to.

8.North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) (noun)

Hindi Meaning - उत्तर अटलांटिक संधि संगठन
English Meaning - NATO was created in 1949 by the United States, Canada, and several Western European nations to provide collective security against the Soviet Union.

9.the West (noun)

Hindi Meaning - पश्चिमी देश, पश्चिमी सभ्यता
English Meaning - The Western world/civilization consisting of the majority of Europe & the North America.

10.administration (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रशासन, सरकार
English Meaning - government, regime, governance.

11.intelligence (noun)

Hindi Meaning - खुफिया जानकारी, गुप्त सूचना
English Meaning - (military/political) information, facts, details, particulars.

12.prosperity (noun)

Hindi Meaning - समृद्धि, खुशहाली
English Meaning - success, well-being, welfare, fortune.

13.resume (verb)

Hindi Meaning - फिर से शुरू करना, पुनः प्रारंभ करना
English Meaning - restart, start again, recommence, take up again, renew.

14.The U.S. Secretary of State (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अमेरिकी विदेश मंत्री
English Meaning - a member of the executive branch of the federal government of the United States and the head of the U.S. Department of State. The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser.

15.officials (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अधिकारी, पदाधिकारी
English Meaning - bureaucracy, authorities, officialdom, the people in charge, the administration, the establishment, the system, corridors of power.

16.Kyiv (proper noun)

English Meaning - the capital city of Ukraine.

17.shut down (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - cease operating, discontinue, switch off, stop.

18.cessation of hostilities (phrase)

English Meaning - it means that the combatants are willing to stop fighting and to restrain their forces.

19.truce (noun)

English Meaning - an ad-hoc (temporary/makeshift) arrangement, arrived at by the combatants (fighters), to pause the fighting. Temporary cessation/suspension (of hostilities); A deal to stop fighting for a certain time.

20.rule out (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - reject, dismiss, eliminate, cancel, exclude, prohibit.

21.rearm (verb)

English Meaning - to provide/equip/furnish with new weapons.

22.withdrawal (noun)

English Meaning - retreat, pullout, pullback, disengagement, departure (of military troops from an area of conflict).

23.Crimea (noun)

English Meaning - a peninsula along the northern coast of the Black Sea in Eastern Europe. The peninsula is almost entirely surrounded by both the Black Sea and the smaller Sea of Azov. The status of Crimea is disputed. It is claimed by Ukraine and in 2014 was recognized as Ukrainian by the United Nations and most other countries, but it is governed by Russia. Russia formally annexed Crimea on 18 March 2014.

24.pre-condition (noun)

English Meaning - necessary condition, essential requirement.

25.freezing (noun)

English Meaning - an act of limiting/restricting (something from taking place).

26.current (adjective)

English Meaning - existing, present.

27.security guarantee (noun)

English Meaning - “any implicit or explicit promise given by an outside power to protect” particular parties to a conflict.

28.ratchet up (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - to increase something by a series of small amounts.

29.up against the wall (phrase)

English Meaning - to be in a bad position; to be in a difficult situation.

30.the ball is in your court (phrase)

English Meaning - it is now your responsibility or your turn to take action; it is up to you to take action now.

31.definite (adjective)

English Meaning - definitive, decisive, certain, clear-cut, conclusive, concrete, categorical, unequivocal.

32.escalate (verb)

English Meaning - increase rapidly, step up, intensify, accelerate, heighten.

33.missile (noun)

English Meaning - a self-propelled/rocket-propelled weapon designed to deliver a conventional/nuclear explosive warhead with great accuracy at high speed; projectile.

34.air strike (noun)

English Meaning - air attack.

35.infrastructure (noun)

English Meaning - the basic physical or organisational structure or framework that a country or organization needs in order to function properly. For a whole nation, it includes all the physical systems such as buildings, roads & railways networks, utilities, etc.

36.unleash (verb)

English Meaning - let loose, unchain, unshackle, let something go freely/uncontrollably.

37.drone (noun)

English Meaning - unmanned aircraft/missile.

38.advance (noun)

English Meaning - progress, headway, forward movement.

39.hold on to (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - retain, hang on to, keep possession of, retain ownership of.

40.leverage (noun)

English Meaning - power, authority, sway, clout, influence, control, dominance, say, weight, position, muscle.

41.influence (noun)

English Meaning - power, authority, sway, clout, leverage, control, dominance, say, weight, position, muscle.

42.Kremlin (noun)

English Meaning - The name “Kremlin” means “fortress inside a city”, and is often also used metonymically to refer to the official residence of the President of the Russian Federation in a similar sense to how “White House” refers to the Executive Office of the President of the United States; Kremlin is a fortified complex in the center of Moscow city. (Metonym is used as an alternative for something else with which it is closely related/associated).

43.tilt (noun)

English Meaning - an attempt/effort at winning something.

44.U-turn (noun)

English Meaning - reversal, reversal of policy, volte-face, about-face, change of mind, turnaround; withdrawal, pulling back, back down.

45.sanctions (noun)

English Meaning - action taken, or an order given to force a country to obey international laws by limiting or stopping trade with that country, by not allowing economic aid for that country, etc.

46.claim (verb)

English Meaning - take, cause the loss of.

47.offer (noun)

English Meaning - proposal, suggestion.

48.lasting (adjective)

English Meaning - enduring, long-lasting, never-ending, perpetual, perennial, long-term, permanent.