By Serena Konkola 
Staff Writer

After three years, the Russia-Ukraine war is still ongoing. So, what does this mean for the future of the countries and the world at large? And how does this affect both sides of the war? A panel of five people discussed these questions at Clackamas Community College on April 29.

Ilias Mukhametov, a student at CCC who lived in Russia until 2022, left Russia after the conflict began. He talked about witnessing propaganda about the war firsthand and what made it convincing.

“A lot of people in Russia who go to war, they go not for the idea,” said Mukhametov. “They go there because the economic situation in Russia is so bad that people can’t own like $20,000. So if they sign a contract with the Russian army, they can get like $20,000. In Russia, it’s like so much, so big money, at once.”

The panel also talked about the future of children who have grown up during the war and addressed claims that Russia has been committing humanitarian crimes against Ukrainian children.

“Ukrainian children have been forcibly removed, with some estimates of 20,000,” said Yulia Brockdorf, a psychotherapist and founder of the non-profit DAWN. “There are some estimates much, much larger.”

The panel tried to answer the question: “How do we get to a peaceful future?”

William Comer, a professor at Portland State University of Russian cultural history, said that he thinks both sides are afraid of the prospect of admitting defeat.

“I think both sides have to fear losing,” said Comer. “And if both sides equally fear losing, then you’ll get peace. At the moment, one side has no fear of losing. And therefore keeps on fighting,”

Comer also said that he believes that applying sanctions on nations that buy Russian oil is also essential, as Russia’s oil exports fund their war effort.

“The only resource Russia really has at the moment that’s bringing in money is the oil,” Comer said.