Dear editor
At the start of the unjustified Russian attack on Ukraine you kindly published my views.
Sadly since then Russia has used its military might to murder thousands of innocent civilians, destroyed Ukrainian towns and threatened the rest of the world with its Nuclear arsenal.
Quite frankly the reaction from Nato and the West to the barbaric actions of the Russian Dictator has been pathetic. The UK response to the refugee crisis too has been miserly compared to the rest of Europe especially Poland, Hungary, Moldova, Romania, Slovak Republic and others.
It would seem that we never learn from history.
In 1938 my parents tried to get out of Czechoslovakia to escape both from the Slovak and Hitlers Nazis. They were too late as the world was closing its borders to Jewish refugees. My parents were taken to Auschwitz and Sachenhausen Concentration Camps but luckily survived.
On the morning of 21 August 1968 I woke up to the shock of Russian tanks lining my street in Bratislava. Russians invaded to destroy Czechoslovak attempt to free themselves from communist oppression. Appeals to the West received warm words but no practical help. Czechoslovakia was overwhelmed by Russian military might within hours and there was very little bloodshed.
It took another 21 years of Russian oppression before Czechoslovakia was free.
My parents succeeded to get me and my brother out. We managed to get to the UK - but only because may mother had a sister here and we therefore had a family connection. Only 30,000 Czechoslovaks escaped in 1968 and very few were allowed to enter the UK.
In contrast Ukrainian civilians are been bombed and murdered in their thousands. Many millions have had to run for their lives already and many more will be forced to follow. Millioans are besieged in bunkers with no heat, water or food. Poland alone has taken over 1.2 million already and what does the UK do in contrast? Once again it imposes 'family restrictions' and has so far only issued a few hundred visas. In the face of this humanitarian tragedy the UK response has been pathetic and sadly typical.
Do your remember the words "We did not know"? That was response to the slaughter of millions of Jews and other people by the Nazis during the 2nd World War. It was the explanation/excuse why he World stood by and did not act.
Today we see what Putin's Russia is doing. We cannot say that "We did not know" as innocent civilians are being shelled and bombed and that thousands are being killed in front of our eyes. And yet our leaders express sympathy and ring their hands and claim that they "cannot get involved".
No one in their right mind wants a war. I never had any grandparents because of the last two World Wars. What is clear however is that we do NOT prevent wars or the killing of innocent people by appeasement of Dictators like Putin. He did not stop at Georgia, he did not stop at Crimea and he will not stop at Ukraine as long as he sees Western disunity and weakness.
In my view Nato and the Western powers should NOT sit idly by and watch Ukraine destroyed and taken over by the Russians. Fine words praising Ukrainian bravery are not enough.
It is time to call Putin's bluff - declare and establish a No Fly Zone across the whole of Ukraine, demand the end of all Russian bombing and the withdrawal of all Russian troops from the whole of Ukraine. Only firm action will now stop the slaughter of innocent people happening in front of our eyes every single day.
Paul Lorber
[Editor's Note: Letters are the opinion of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of Wembley Matters]
