LETTER: WE MUST SUPPORT UKRAINE AND DEFEAT PUTIN

 Dear Editor,

No one wants a 3rd world war. I never had any grandparents. One was killed fighting in the 1st World War and the other 3 were murdered in concentration camps by the Nazis in the 2nd World War.

But innocent people are being killed in Ukraine today by the Russian army and lessons from history teach us that by not standing up to Dictators things will only get worse.

In 1938 Czechoslovakia had a defence pack with Britain, France and other countries. When in 1938  Britain, France, Italy and others signed the Munich pact with Hitler giving in to his demands Czechoslovakia was betrayed and Hitler soon invaded the whole country.

That was the signal to Hitler that those countries were disunited, unprepared and weak and that he could expand his empire and deliver his 3rd Reich. Tens of millions of people died in the world war  that followed, two thirds of my family were wiped out and my parents had to endure the horrors of the concentration camps.

When in 1968 Communist Russia invaded Czechoslovakia to defeat an attempt for democracy and breaking out of the shackles of communism the West did nothing. The country was occupied and subjugated by the Russians for the next 20 years.

I lost my country and all my friends. Although I have been able to build my life in the UK it was not easy and especially tough on my parents. No one becomes by Refugee by choice and the journey to rebuild your life can be tough.

The invasion of Ukraine confirms that you cannot trust Putin and that Russia continues to be a real threat to its neighbours and to world peace. Sadly 'diplomacy' does not work with Dictators.

Despite spending £billions each year on keeping standing armies and on developing new weapons it is not surprising that US, Britain and the rest do not wish to get involved militarily. Iraq, Afghanistan were all disasters and as a result even NATO is ineffectual and was clearly not ready.

So what should we do?

In 1968 the Czechoslovak army capitulated without firing a shot. It is clear that the Ukrainian army is made of sterner stuff. The west should supply Ukraine with all necessary weapons for their defence.

Ukraine should receive all possible humanitarian aid and borders should be open to their citizens under threat of Russian bombardment. Poland, Slovakia and other nearby states should receive assistance from the EU and the US to make this possible.

Russia should be completely isolated. This means that all business, sporting, cultural and educational links should stop immediately. Business should be instructed to withdraw all their employees and all assets from Russia, Russian football clubs should be expelled from all competitions, non Russian citizens in Russia should be given a deadline to leave and all international flights with Russia should stop. All Trade with Russia should stop and all Russian assets abroad should be frozen. World Universities must stop their doors to students from Russia. 

And yes if we are serious we must STOP buying Russian Oil and Gas. We may experience some pain but that is not the same as being killed by unprovoked Russian bombs and bullets.

It is when Russians feel total isolation and suffer economic and cultural pain that they will turn against Putin. 

Putin will not stop with Ukraine. The world did nothing when Russia invaded Crimea in 2014  and this is the consequence. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are next in line. The sooner the western alliance recognises this and builds up its defences along this line the better.

In 1968 Czechoslovaks pleaded for international help. There were fine words but little else. Fine words and softly softly approach will not work against Russian military might or its Dictator. Unless the Russians stop now and withdraw their troops from Ukraine immediately the international community must engage its economic, financial and other strengths to bring Russia to its knees in other ways.

Paul Lorber

25 February 2022.

 

Paul Lorber was born in Czechoslovakia but had to leave his country as a child following the Russian led invasion of his country in August 1968. He has lived in Brent since 1969 and was a Councillor in Brent for 32 years and Leader of Brent Council between 2006 and 2010.