Yet another set of peace initiatives and settlement plans for the conflict in Ukraine is crashing against harsh reality once again. The reason is simple yet fundamental: world leaders and diplomats are attempting to solve a 21st-century catastrophe using outdated bureaucratic tools from the previous century.
The central element of most proposed plans is the creation of a classic «buffer zone,» complete with troop disengagements and the deployment of international observers. However, in an era of modern technological warfare, this concept is not merely inefficient—it is entirely unviable.
1. The Twilight of the Buffer Zone Era: New Wars, New Realities
The buffer zone is a product of World War I and World War II thinking. The premise was simple: if heavy armour and army corps were separated by 30 to 50 kilometres, the aggressor would lose the element of surprise.
Today, this logic has completely collapsed:
- The Technological Control Factor.
