Struggle for Peace and Conflict Resolution

Abstract

The article discusses the main methodological foundations of applied analysis of international political confrontation and cooperation. Their demand is increasing due to the worsening of relations between Russia and the West in connection with the Ukrainian conflict. As a result, questions arise about the prospects of settlement of the conflict concerning the future of Donbass. European states (Germany and France) initiated a process for the pacification of the parties, but it is unclear to what extent they can be useful for the resolution of the conflict. While the process of developing a mutually acceptable compromise has not been successful so far, there is a need to find tools to enable a structured assessment of the level of tension of the political conflict and of the risk it will turn into an armed conflict. Modern politics is characterized not so much by a decline in the use of violence to achieve goals but by a proliferation of new forms for its realization, including sabotage, terrorism, and new unconventional warfare. Moreover, in modern conditions the expansion of hostilities often leads to the opposite side seeking a peaceful resolution of the conflict. In this respect, peace and war are now in a dialectical relationship. As a result, armed violence does not cease to be a necessary element of politics. It is not always possible to achieve peace by trying to shift the balance of power. This is a contradiction. War in this sense is a test of strength, an attempt to secure a satisfactory alternative to the current situation. The dialectics of peace and strength continues to define the specifics of the diplomatic agenda.