Two years on from invasion, the resolve of Ukrainians needs to be matched by allies

The war in Ukraine will have become an after-thought for many people across the world but two years since Vladimir Putin’s invasion, the ongoing resistance of Ukrainian forces could not be more important.
The Yorkshire Post
By The Yorkshire Post
Published 24th Feb 2024, 06:00 GMT

When Putin launched his offensive, it wasn’t just an assault on the sovereignty of Ukraine but an assault on democracy itself.

The world since February 2022 has become an even more volatile place and a lot of the troubles stem from Russian involvement.

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If people cast their mind back to the early 2010s, it was Putin’s regime that backed war crimes in Syria. Not long after, emboldened by what he perceived as a weak response from the West to his advances by proxy in Syria, Putin launched his first advances on Ukraine in 2014. Even the current conflict in the Middle East features Russian influence with Iranian terror essentially backed by the Kremlin.

Ukrainian refugee Viktoriia Prysiazhna who fled Odesa marks the second anniversary of the war. PIC: Tony JohnsonUkrainian refugee Viktoriia Prysiazhna who fled Odesa marks the second anniversary of the war. PIC: Tony Johnson
Ukrainian refugee Viktoriia Prysiazhna who fled Odesa marks the second anniversary of the war. PIC: Tony Johnson

Therefore, it must not be forgotten that the resistance in Ukraine is a defence of the way of life enjoyed by those fortunate enough to live in a democracy. Victory for Russia would simply open the way for Putin to continue to run roughshod over other nations.

US support for Ukraine looks to be wavering with much needed aid currently being held up by House Republicans. With the US presidential election on the horizon, Ukraine could be left out on a limb. The general election here would also see attention diverted elsewhere.

While the public here will have become accustomed to a war raging on its doorstep for the first time in generations, people cannot become inured to the suffering of Ukrainians fighting for freedom.

But the ray of light through this conflict has been the welcome that people across Yorkshire have given Ukrainian refugees.

Related topics:UkraineVladimir PutinSyria

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