Do people now understand why UKIP was Putin’s patsy?

AFTER the 9/11 attacks, the US President at the time said that nations were “either with us, or with the terrorists”.

Tony Blair was Prime Minister and he said then that the world was in a state of flux, with the pieces being shaken up.

It’s the same with Russia’s attack on Ukraine – you are either with Russia, or against it. Russia has launched an unprovoked attack on a neighbour which is a democracy and a sovereign state. The issue now for each country in the world is: who are you with? Russia, or Ukraine and the West? Can you imagine Jeremy Corbyn’s response? He’d have been utterly hopeless.

You are either on the side of democracy, sovereignty, the rule of law, and justice, or you are in favour of allowing naked aggression and hideous attacks against civilians.

When you see Mariupol burning in the news (90% destroyed), rememeber that it is a port city like Bristol and with about our population.

There are only three choices for which country will be Top Dog in the world: Russia, China, or the US.

We have seen how Russia acts. They are barbaric for their attack on Ukraine.

China is not a democracy, does not have the rule of law (they have “rule by law”, not the same thing), does not have free speech (ask the Uighurs) and is in covert alliance with Russia (called “the #DragonBear” on twitter).

The US is a democracy, it does have free speech, it does have the rule of law. And, thank goodness, its missiles are better than Russia’s tanks.

The EU? It never aspired to be a super-state. That was false fears from the Brexiters. Incidentally, one of the leading Brexiters has said that Ukraine was a part of Russia. He is wrong.

Now do people see why UKIP was Putin’s patsy? Break the UK away from the EU and you potentially weaken Europe. London is awash with Russian oligarch oil money and maybe some has come to Bristol property too. It’s worth looking into.

So Europe is now at war. A land war from Russia has happened. We must all do what we can to help Ukraine defend itself. That means for politicians and decision-makers, give them military aid and missiles to shoot down attackers.

For us citizens, there is the DEC appeal and lots of charities organising aid convoys etc., and we can counter Russian disinformation and lies.

And we can all make a conscious choice to support free speech, the rule of law, and following the rules.

Putin’s attack on Ukraine was also an attack on western values of freedom, humanity, respect for the law and democracy – and of truth itself. We’re all on the frontline now.

Sarah Riddle

Bristol