President Biden’s decision to allow Ukraine to fire western-made missiles into Russia shows how high the stakes are in this appalling war.
We are now 1000 days into Putin’s latest invasion of Ukraine and no one knows what the future will hold. The US and UK have led the way in showing solidarity with Ukraine and equipping this brave country with the weapons it needs.
Putin launched an unprovoked attack, based on bogus claims about Nato, and the people of Ukraine have suffered immensely. There have been some terrible days for Ukraine but President Zelensky knows the West has always been there for him.
The election of Donald Trump is a threat to this alliance and a major boost for his ally Putin. Everyone knows Trump has a soft spot for Russia’s dictator because he secretly wants to be like him. He wants to rule with an iron fist, clamp down on dissenting media and centralise power.
Trump has promised to end the Ukraine war and there is every indication this means surrender. Suspicions persist the president-elect wants Russia to be able to hold on to the territory its military has illegally seized.
This would amount to theft and would be a huge victory for Putin and his propaganda machine. A better option, one Biden is pursuing, is to ensure Ukraine has the weapons to defeat Russian aggression.
A real solution will be Russia retreating from sovereign Ukraine and funding reconstruction. Trump and those he surrounds himself with do not care about Ukraine and want to sell out Zelensky as soon as possible.
Nobody should be under any illusions as to what this would mean for the rest of Europe. If Putin is allowed to hold on to the parts of Ukraine he has seized, he will turn his sights to another neighbouring country he believes is hostile.
Putin believes the break-up of the Soviet Union was a humiliation and believes the independent countries close to Russia’s border belong to him. Ukraine was a first step in re-establishing an old order and he must not be allowed to succeed.
Central to supporting Ukraine is ensuring Nato remains strong and stable in the face of Trumpian scepticism. Trump does not believe in the central Nato purpose of defending every one of the alliance’s members. He denies America has responsibilities beyond its own borders and would be keen to pull out.
Ukraine’s adversary is Putin but Trump is also a major worry. The UK should be steadfast in its support for this proud country and unwavering in our commitment for Ukraine to be free. Defeating Russia is not just a matter for Ukraine, but imperative for all of us.
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