Solidarity with Ukraine .... stand with Ukraine

An independent European nation and democracy, Ukraine, has been invaded by Russia in an act of totally unjustified and unprovoked aggression and violence

Over many years, I have visited most of the countries in western, northern and southern Europe. Following the fall of the former Soviet Union and the collapse of communism in the late 1980s and early 1990s, I have been able to freely and easily visit several countries in eastern Europe (although I did visit Hungary for the first time when it was a Warsaw Pact member and West Berlin and East Berlin when the Berlin Wall was still standing).

Since 2016, I have visited the following countries, all of which have a border with Ukraine .... Poland (twice), Slovakia, Hungary and Romania. I have also visited Estonia which has a border with Russia, Saint Petersburg in Russia itself and Prague in the Czech Republic.

The countries of eastern Europe have beautiful natural environments and a diversity and an abundance of wildlife, in stark contrast to the depletion of nature and wildlife in the UK. They also all have beautiful and culturally interesting historic cities and towns.

Apart from that, my travel experiences have given me several opportunities to meet and speak with people in the countries of eastern Europe. These are all proud and independent nations with people that can now, to a great extent, quite rightly value and enjoy their freedom of movement and expression and their democracies following the collapse of their former totalitarian communist regimes. The people of these liberated countries in eastern Europe are generally engaging, friendly, hospitable and generous.

I have never visited Ukraine but I can not imagine that it is any different in any respect from any of the other countries in eastern Europe that I have visited.

However, Ukraine is faced with appalling aggression and violence from Russia and its proud and brave people, led by the amazing Volodymyr Zelenskyy, are now resisting the invasion of their country and homeland.

So, what of Russia? The Russian people are not the aggressors, Putin is. This is Putin’s war

When I visited Saint Petersburg, I met several Russians. Unsurprisingly, Russian people want the same as everyone else …. freedom from poverty, poor health and poor housing …. a good and secure quality of life …. and, not least, peaceful co-existence with their neighbours rather than having the threat of thousands of ICBM nuclear weapons in their country and across the NATO countries that divert huge amounts of capital investment away from meeting society's needs and which could destroy humanity in minutes.

The majority of Russians don’t want or need a war with Ukraine or a wider and even more horrific conflict with NATO.

Putin must be defeated by external pressures and sanctions from politicians, corporate businesses, the sports, arts, music, journalism and academic sectors and anyone who cares about freedom and democracy around the world.

Putin must be defeated by internal economic and societal pressures and brave political resistance from within Russia. 

Then, when he emerges from his rabbit hole packed with conspiracy theories and his perverted views of world history, he must be prosecuted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court in The Hague and have all his assets seized for the full benefit of the Ukrainian victims of the war that he has decided to wage.

In the meantime, every single UK citizen needs to express support for and solidarity with Ukraine and its people. Witnessing the magnitude of their heroism and bravery should fill our collective soul as we all grapple with this truly terrible moment in human history.

Slava Ukraini! …. Glory to Ukraine!

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Stay safe, stay well, stay strong, stay connected with nature