We must face reality before it’s too late

THE people of the Ukraine are displaying all the courage the British people showed during the Blitz, while President Zelensky bears comparison to Winston Churchill, his combat fatigues becoming as familiar as the latter’s siren suit.

It is essential that the democratic nations of the world unite behind these brave victims of Putin’s aggression, and, as President Zelensky echoes Churchill’s words spoken in 1941, “give us the tools and we will finish the job”, he is making an appeal which must be heeded.

If we fail to give Ukraine what is needed for victory then not only will they descend into a dark night of oppression, but the totalitarian states around the world will be emboldened to follow the path of force. China will continue on the road to war with Taiwan, North Korea will become even more threatening to its neighbours, while the dictators of Iran will destabilise the Middle East to the point where Israel may be obliged to take action, or face genocide.

As was proven in the 1930s we would not save ourselves by throwing others to the wolves, and a triumphant Russia would not be content with conquering Ukraine.

Must we see history repeated as first the Baltic States, and then the nations of Eastern Europe are attacked one by one, before Putin turns his baleful eye on Western Europe and the UK, as, if Ukraine falls, then the protections offered by NATO may very well be proven illusory, given that the Americans might decide to retreat to Fortress America.

Who could blame them in the light of the failure of the European nations to spend enough in their own defence.

While our public discourse concerns such nonsense as allowing men to declare themselves women, universities placing trigger warnings on the novels of Jane Austen, and tolerating attacks on both our language and our values by the lunatics of woke, we may eventually be forced by our own pusillanimous behaviour to face reality in the form of Russian bayonets.

Colin Bullen

Via email