A chara, – As Russian tanks roll onwards into the ruins of Mariupol, mass graves are discovered in areas of Ukraine occupied by Russian forces, and deliberate Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilians continue without pause, Brendan Butler (Letters, April 25th) writes to double down on his insistence that the non-military solutions which have failed to stop the war for the past two months can stop the war.
Sanctions have failed to stop the tanks. UN condemnation has failed to stop the airstrikes. Mr Butler claims that the reason that non-military aid to Ukraine has failed to stop the war is the lack of a ban on Russian fossil fuels, ignoring the reality that if Russia cannot sell oil and gas to Europe, it will simply sell them to India, China, and other allies instead, and Russian tanks will roll on in the Donbas. Regardless of this fact, in their refusal to acknowledge the need for military aid, Mr Butler and those who agree with him are choosing to ignore the reason this war is happening. Putin is not waging an economic war, but an old-fashioned war of conquest. His goal is to conquer territory and subjugate Russia’s neighbours, not to balance the Russian budget. Sanctions have not worked and will not work, because the war is not driven by economic factors. UN condemnation has not worked and will not work, because it is not backed by force.
Pretending that a war of conquest can be stopped without guns is simply magical thinking. At some point, we need to grow up as a nation and admit that the only thing which can stop an advancing tank is an anti-tank missile. Then and only then can we finally show Ukraine meaningful solidarity. – Is mise,
REBECCA CROWLEY.
Cork.