It is very disturbing that the West is prepared to provoke a Third World War which will be nuclear just over the Ukraine issue.
We are told that Ukraine’s freedom should be protected against Vladimir Putin, who is considered to be an ogre. But what is not being noted is that what is at stake is the ’freedom’ not only of Ukraine but of all countries.
The context of this Russian behaviour is crassly being ignored by the West at the expense of global security. After the end of the Cold War, Russia felt very wounded and humiliated that the Soviet Union had collapsed and ‘lost’ that war.
Its ego was very bruised and leaders such as Putin were not going to take this lying down. They have made it a point that if need be, let the Third World War erupt if its power is not going to be recognised by the West. Thus, is the safety of the world to be risked because of just one country?
For example, just what is it that the West will lose in compromising with Russia that Ukraine will not be allowed to join Nato? Using emotive rhetoric will not solve this problem. The reality here is that we are not dealing with a nondescript tin-pot country.
Russia is still very powerful and nuclear-armed and has indicated that it will not hesitate to draw the whole globe into Armageddon if its power is not recognised.
The evidence is already there - as the whole of Europe is facing a lot of instability just two weeks into this issue. Compromise is called for in these kinds of situations.
DR THABISI HOEANE Pretoria