Today, the Financial Times published an article titled “Russia Plotting Sabotage Across Europe, Intelligence Agencies Warn,” which struck me as fascinating and somewhat hypocritical. The tone of surprise in the article, as if the notion of Russia attempting sabotage is unfathomable, ignores the clear context: Europe is actively supporting Ukraine, Russia’s adversary. This isn’t just a regional conflict; it’s a proxy war where the stakes are high, and the repercussions are global.

The bewilderment displayed by Western media and governments appears disingenuous when considering the direct military and financial support flowing from Western capitals to Kyiv. With over 18 Leopard tanks, 100 MARDER infantry fighting vehicles, and nearly 30 billion euros committed by Germany alone, the scale of involvement is not trivial. It’s substantial and consequential.

Yet, as infrastructure sabotage incidents unfold across Europe — with individuals being charged and others caught in acts of sabotage — there remains a glaring omission in the dialogue: the sabotage of the Nord Stream Pipeline, widely accepted as a deliberate act by entities possibly including the United States and Ukraine. The reaction to this has been muted, especially compared to the loud condemnations and promises of repercussions aimed at Moscow.

“As ever with Russia, it’s wise not to look for a single explanation of why they are doing anything. There’s always a combination of things going on,” said Giles. “These pinprick attacks we’ve seen so far are of course to create disruption, but they can also be used for disinformation. And then there is what Russia learns from these attacks if they want to immobilise Europe for real . . . They’re practice runs.”

This situation begs a critical reflection on the lack of peace dialogues. Why is there no substantial push for peace talks or negotiations? In the West, why are we not initiating a process to broker at least a ceasefire, if not a long-term peace agreement? The absence of these efforts is as much a failure of NATO and the United States as it is of Russia.

The human cost is staggering. A declassified U.S. intelligence report from December 2023 estimated that between 15,500 and 17,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed by that point, with countless civilians caught in the crossfire. Yet, the prevailing narrative often skirts these harsh realities, instead focusing on a one-dimensional portrayal of Russian aggression.

The quote from the article, “As ever with Russia, it is wise not to look for a single explanation,” misses the mark. In reality, the explanation is straightforward: the West is engaged in a proxy war, and Russia’s actions, though aggressive, are a mirror of what any state would do in retaliation. It is time for the West to acknowledge its role, take responsibility, and earnestly seek peace. Only through such efforts can we hope to spare further loss and resolve this devastating conflict.