“A week is a long time in politics” …so the idiom goes…and this seems never truer – than the almost universal unanimity of the peoples of Europe in their condemnation and demand for action against Russia for their invasion of independent Ukraine
Less than 7-days ago; it seemed that President Putin was the master of the situation.
- Internal dissent had been silenced – often by deadly means
- Neighbouring Belorussia had become a vassal state
- Red China had become a close ally – after celebrating the election loss of President Trump – willing to see Ukraine as “their Taiwan example”
- Energy rich Russia was seeing Global highs in the prices of oil and gas – further boosting state coffers.
Against this they saw
- the Biden fiasco in Afghanistan – where the liberal press – made the Afghan refugees who refused to fight for freedom – the heroes of the story.
- Biden removing sanctions against the Russian Nord Stream 2 pipeline (whilst cancelling their own pipe line from Alaska)
- NATO riven with differences – with 20 of the 28 members still not paying their 2% promised military spending contribution that had been demanded by President Trump
- Trudeau enacting wartime based – emergency laws against his own Canadian citizens
- Macron of France declaring his desire to “piss off” French citizens who are not vaccinated
- Britain’s liberal media obsessing about did the Prime Minister attend a party or not…
- A European Union fixated on punishing Britain for leaving the EC – as its president Tusk had said about those campaigning to leave “there will be “a special place in Hell” for people who promoted leaving”
And based on that assessment – President Putin ratcheted up the pressure – demanding a permanent ban on Ukraine joining NATO, the withdrawal of western alliance troops and armour to the 1997 position (before NATO expansion east) – whilst simultaneously increasing their military presence along Ukraine’s northern and eastern borders.
Whereas America and Britain responded by sending limited military supplies into Ukraine – even though this response was visibly weakened when Joe Biden had publicly advised “It’s one thing if it’s a minor incursion…”
Yet in mainland Europe the globalists were sitting on their hands…
- The German Red-Green alliance sent 5,000 helmets to Ukraine as their only military supply contribution. As Vitali Klitschko, the mayor of Kiev responded “The behaviour of the German government leaves me speechless…”What kind of support will Germany send next? Pillows?”
And so, 1-week ago – Putin decided to recognise the Russian occupied areas of Donetsk and Luhansk – as independent countries – who immediately – invited Russian troops to enter as peacekeepers.
And that fait accompli would in all likelihood – have been tolerated – after expressions of shock and disappointment from Berlin, Paris and Rome…
The liberals and globalists would have commented – that Donetsk and Luhansk were Russian speaking areas, that Ukraine was a semi-failed state, that global business had to continue…that Joe Biden had deterred Russia from encroaching even further into Ukraine.
And the western media – and Facebook – Twitter – would have switched focus back to their first loves of identity politics, vaccine mandates, WOKE propaganda.
But instead, Putin went further…. sending troops, armoured vehicles, artillery and military planes deep in Ukraine – launching a 4-prong attack to seize Kiev – as Putin’s loyal oligarchs like Abramovich caught private flights back to Mother Russia, to sit out the “storm”
And the initial European weak response – met with a fierce disapproval – the “silent majority” became vocal…and finally the political class acted in support of the Ukrainian resistance – a resistance that showed (unlike the cowards in Afghanistan) that patriotism – defence of the homeland was a cause worthy to fight for.
Our hopes and prayers are with the defenders of Ukraine – their courage so far is a beacon of hope – creating a new pan European atmosphere that the Russian oligarchs and apparatchiks will no longer, we trust ever enjoy