As we approach the 1000th day of the Ukrainian struggle for freedom, we salute their incredible bravery in the face of the most cynical and unprincipled active aggression in Europe since WWII.
The Ukrainians have proved time and again that they have the will to defeat Putin’s conscript armies from Kyiv to Kherson, to Kharkiv to Kursk in Russia itself.
On this bitter anniversary it is time for the friends of Ukraine to draw up a plan – not just to keep Ukraine from losing, but to ensure a Ukrainian victory.
It is great news that Joe Biden has finally given the Ukrainians permission to use ATACMS against Russian bases so that the Ukrainians are not fighting with one hand tied behind their backs.
Britain and France must immediately give symmetrical positions for the use of Storm Shadow/SCALP cruise missiles.
Now is the time, furthermore, to give the Ukrainians the financial firepower to survive and win this conflict, with a $500bn lend-lease style loan which they will amply be able to repay.
Finally it is crucial that we settle the question of where Ukraine really belongs – no longer a satellite of Moscow but a free and independent sovereign democratic European nation. That means we must have the courage and logic to give the Ukrainians the security guarantee that they need and announce a date in the near future by which Ukraine will join NATO.
Taken together, these measures will persuade Putin of what has been obvious ever since he invaded: that he has made a gigantic mistake and that he will never conquer the Ukrainian people. It is only once the Kremlin has truly absorbed this message that peace will return to Ukraine.
Boris Johnson@
Oleksii Goncharenko from the Poroshenko bloc just posted:
“Ukraine first needs fair peace, and then Ukrainians will hold fair elections – Zelensky
“We will not give up Ukraine’s rights to all its territory – Zelensky
After that, deputies stood up and applauded.”
“Now is the time, furthermore, to give the Ukrainians the financial firepower to survive and win this conflict, with a $500bn lend-lease style loan which they will amply be able to repay.”
Right Boris.
It can come from the $16 trillion of mineral resources under Ukrainian soil and Ukrainian waters.
Even Trump surely does not want these incredible riches to end up in the cauldron of devilry?
Ivan Muskovy needs the rare earths for his businesses. Has he already done a deal with putler?
5 minutes of waterboarding will reveal the answer.
It would help a lot to hand over the frozen $300 billion.