Ukraine is still fighting, four years on Credit: SERGEI SUPINSKY/AFP
Putin cannot be allowed to win his savage war against brave Ukraine
24 February 2026
SIR – Today is the fourth anniversary of Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine (“Zelensky: Putin already started World War Three”, report, February 23).
The Russian tyrant expected Ukraine’s leaders to flee, and that his forces would occupy Kyiv within a week. Instead, the bravery of the Ukrainians stopped the Russian tanks dead. When America offered to evacuate President Volodymyr Zelensky, he replied: “The fight is here. I need ammunition, not a ride.”
Ukraine’s spirit has been an inspiration to the free world. Despite the absurd restrictions imposed on the use of weapons donated by its allies, Ukraine has inflicted more than a million casualties on the invaders, who have targeted civilians, abducted children and used torture, murder and rape as weapons of war.
Ukraine’s fight is our fight. No matter the cost, Putin must not win.
Francis Bown
London E3
SIR – I am at a loss to understand the position of Western countries, particularly those in Nato, regarding Ukraine.
Ukraine posed no threat to any other country but was invaded by Russia, just as Poland, also benign, was invaded by Germany in 1939. Simply because it is not a formal member of Nato, it was denied the support it needed from the “civilised” world to repel a barbaric invasion.
The only explanation is that Nato countries were afraid. But when does fear become cowardice? It turns out that Russia understood Nato perfectly. Vladimir Putin knew that the West would be intimidated by the possibility of a nuclear response. This tells us that, in future, that same threat will allow Russia to do anything it wishes.
The only serious solution is to move Nato forces into Ukraine now, to eject the Russians. But this will never happen. The West is all talk.
Tom Williams
Sheffield, South Yorkshire
SIR – Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed that an end to the Ukrainian war is coming soon. Naturally, the rest of the Western world hopes that this is true.
However, if Ukraine is forced into an inequitable deal by American threats to withdraw arms supplies and intelligence, then this would be a disgusting betrayal of all that Ukraine has valiantly fought for.
Bombardment of Ukraine’s cities has steadily increased in intensity, with Russia even resorting to adding warheads to decommissioned practice missiles – all in an effort to batter Ukraine into submission. Such aggressive tactics do not suggest that Russia wants to stop its vile war any time soon.
The fighting will only conclude if there is a massive transfer of the appropriate weapons to Ukraine by America and its Nato allies. They should move quickly.
B J Colby
Bristol
These three eloquent letters from readers Francis Brown, Tom Williams and BJ Colby are I am sure a representative sample that the editor has selected.
Only scum people would find cause to disagree with them.
DT editors have been following this practise for 170 years and they will continue…..