Last week’s issue featured an article which appeared to me to lay the principal blame on the West and NATO for Russia’s invasion and war against Ukraine. I believe this is a faulty reading of the situation. Let’s remember it was Russian troops which invaded Ukraine in 2022, it is Russia which continues to bomb churches, schools and residences all over Ukraine, it is Russia which has abducted thousand of Ukrainian children and removed them to Russia.
Let me remind fair minded Grapevine readers of two bits of crucial history: first, in 1994, in Budapest, Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons in exchange for the recognition by Russia, the USA, and the UK of Ukraine’s territorial integrity. Three times now, Russia has abrogated this international agreement—first when Russia took over Crimea in 2014, second, when it supported military action by Russian rebels in the Donbas region, and then in February 2022, when it mounted a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
In 2005, Mr. Putin described the collapse of the Soviet Union in these words: “the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the century”. This shows exactly what the Russian dictator wants: a return to the good old days of Moscow control over a score of states which have become happily independent and democratic since the implosion of the Communist era. Given Putin’s behaviour, is it any wonder that several other European countries like the Baltic States, as well as Sweden and Finland have joined NATO? They remember Soviet control and do not want to be subject to it again. Nor to see Ukraine suffer the same fate once more.
As for the characterization of Ukraine as a no free speech society, this is false. Yes, there is martial law, after all the country is at war, defending itself. However, there is a free press in Ukraine, as well as criticism of the current Government. Check out the Kyiv Post and the Kyiv Independent online if in doubt. And the people protested vigorously when they felt anti-corruption efforts were not strong enough. Yes, there is corruption—it was endemic during the Communist days, and both Ukraine and Russia have suffered from it, but at least Ukraine is trying to fight it.
It’s in Russia where there is no free speech. Anyone who protests the ‘special military operation’ is jailed or sent to penal colonies. Putin runs a dictatorship and the Russian people have been cowed by him. I’ve been to both Russia and Ukraine many times, and the people in Ukraine are much more willing to criticize their leader, they are positive and resilient, and over a long period have shown their wish to be part of a democratic and free market Europe.
Canada had demonstrated a strong commitment to support Ukraine in resisting Russian aggression. All Canada’s political parties are united in this purpose, including the new NDP Leader Avi Lewis who has been quoted as saying Ukraine should not give up an inch of its territory in any peace negotiations to end this calamitous conflict.
Stewart Goodings.
