Abstract
Conflict resolution often focuses on material interests or trust building rather than the core psychological needs of the sides. Mapping the key emotional red lines of parties and addressing them creatively may offer new opportunities for peace. This article examines such an approach for the Russia-Ukraine conflict, with reflection on the Middle East where such a mapping of needs has begun. This approach leads to the concept of mutual needs satisfaction, where all sides’ critical red lines are addressed, if imperfectly. This is discussed regarding Russia, Ukraine, and the West today. As former Egyptian President Anwar Sadat demonstrated by going to the Israeli Knesset in 1977, symbolic steps that attend to core innate needs can pave the way to conflict resolution and peace.
Recommended Citation
John Bell
(2025)
"Understanding the Underlying Motivations of the Russia-Ukraine War,"
New England Journal of Public Policy: Vol. 37:
Iss.
1, Article 12.
Available at:
https://scholarworks.umb.edu/nejpp/vol37/iss1/12