“They seem so like us. That is what makes it so shocking. (…) War is no longer something visited upon impoverished and remote populations”. Drawing from this assertion by Daniel Hannan, the horrific invasion of Ukraine has marked the return of interstate wars to Europe. A wave of solidarity for these "quality refugees" has emerged as demonstrated by French deputy Jean Louis Bourlanges. This solidarity was illustrated by an open-armed opening of the borders from neighbouring countries and by a strong identification of all European countries with Ukraine, resulting in meaningful solidarity coupled with a salvos of racist remarks in Western media.
THE “OTHER” AND EUROPE’S RACISM
Through the lens of the concept of “othering,” these comments, denounced by numerous associations in the Middle East and North Africa such as AMEJA, are interesting to analyse. According to academic Lajos Brons; “othering” is “the simultaneous construction of the self or in-group and the other or outgroup in mutual and unequal opposition through the identification of some desirable characteristic that the self/in-group has and the other/out-group lacks and/or some undesirable characteristic that the other/out-group has and the self/in-group lacks” (Brons, 2015 pp.70). In other words, it is the idea of one social group identifying itself by distancing itself from another, e.g. by dehumanising it or differentiating it in terms of its common identity, thereby creating an “us vs. them” dynamic.
Thus, whether intended or not, these remarks from journalists - noting that Ukrainians “dress like us,” “have cars like us” - demonstrate that individual and systemic racism is deeply embedded in European society, with the latter marginalising anything considered to be not “like us”. This view, which is held by many Western journalists and supported by the European doxa and general public, crystallises their racist views, revealing that they trivialise war in regions outside of Europe. This point can be illustrated by looking at a map of world wars, which shows that there have been few wars on “Western” soil since the beginning of the 21st century; in fact, Europe has simply managed to distance itself from conflict (including conflict it has been involved in) in terms of its collective consciousness. Many conflicts occurred around the globe during the first part of the 20th century, not least because many related to the two European-led world wars and decolonisation - proving that wars and atrocities did indeed occur across the world. When European wars progressively moved away from “Western” soil, they became proxy wars and/or civil wars which sometimes involved international intervention. Thus, even though Western countries remained involved in the business of war abroad, they progressively distanced themselves from violence and war, pushing the symbolic epicentre southwards in the mind of Europeans. Conflict experts such as Stathis Kalyvas also stress the normalisation of heavy military operations, contrasting them with the intense rejection of violence against civilians. Damascus or Baghdad, present in the European imagination as representing both violence and chaos, alongside the fall of Kyiv to an illegal and unjustifiable invasion further disturbs the conscience.
EUROPE’S DOUBLE STANDARDS
Whilst the solidarity displayed to Ukrainians is beautiful and justified, it also demonstrates that there is a double standard at play. Another way this two-tiered solidarity is apparent is in the racism and discrimination experienced by foreign students and people of colour who are fleeing Ukraine. The new surge of Western solidarity that has flourished therefore must be careful about what it considers to be “other”. Russian disinformation and international rights abuses must serve as a reminder that freedom of the press also means covering and denouncing events such as apartheid in Palestine, Frontex’s actions and the refugee camps in Libya which are subsidised by the European Union. These examples are also highly problematic in terms of rights and Western accountability. The joint action taken against a transgressor of international law which resulted in significant economic sanctions and an unprecedented welcoming of refugees shows us that we can do more in response to other countries that transgress laws on a daily basis, or leaders who abuse international and humanitarian law.
QUESTIONING EUROCENTRISM
Just like Mali and Afghanistan, from which French and American troops have withdrawn, Putin seems to have understood that many people have suffered from wars started by the West. Following his visit to China, and with the help of Chechen and more recently Syrian mercenaries, Putin is in the process of creating an anti-imperialist bloc; the silence from India, Turkey, and the Gulf States also illustrates that the world could be at an ideological crossroads. Furthermore, Putin is accused of spreading false information and exploiting racism on the Ukrainian border to discredit the West. It is up to Europe to broaden its vision, its Eurocentrism, and to remember that the “other” – from whom it wants to distance itself and unite against – should be recognised as the party that transgresses laws and rights, not the party that is different from “us”.
By uniting against Putin's terrible acts, Europe seems to have been reminded of its founding narrative: mutual cooperation and respect for human rights. The return of war should therefore serve as a moment to extend peace and international cooperation and question Europe’s response to the war in Ukraine by reflecting on its racism, its two-tiered promotion of solidarity, and why its aspirations and ideals are at stake. Europe would thus show that it stands for its values by showing support for and taking action on behalf of people within its geographical space and people across the globe. There should be no hierarchy of harm and pain: Europe's upheaval should open our eyes to its two-tiered solidarity, and rectify our vision of the “other”.
Colin is a Masters student in Peace and Conflict resolution, with a Bachelors degree in History and Middle Eastern studies. He is currently focusing on conflicts, Gender violence, and the Middle East. He loves to build bridges and discover cultures, drawing him to live and study in several countries, especially in the Middle East.