March 3 Letters: Ukraine deserves support of all who believe in democracy

I READ with interest the letter from Arthur Quarmby (The Yorkshire Post, February 27) suggesting that were the EU’s ambitions regarding Ukraine to be withdrawn then the war would end.

One could equally say that were Russia to curb its own aggressive ambitions then the same would be true. At the end of the day it is the fact that one state, or group of states, seeks to impose its will on another, that is at the root of this and most major conflicts.

Ukraine is a large, independent democracy which strove vigorously – and painfully – to elect an independently-minded government, one that was not a puppet of Moscow; it in turn voted to seek its future and support from other democracies in the West. It should therefore be allowed to continue to do so, and its own ambitions and desires be robustly supported by all those that respect the core values of democracy.

From: John Watson, Hutton Hill, Leyburn.

ONCE again there appears to be a threat from Russia over the Ukraine fiasco. The Baltic states are at risk and Vladimir Putin sent his big bombers to have a look at Britain. There seems to be political mayhem in Moscow where a leader of the opposition has been murdered, and I don’t know what to make of the Middle East. It all adds up to instability and we should be standing to attention.

But, what are we doing? We are cutting our Armed Services, to save money. We have cut the Navy and the RAF, and there was a problem with kit in Afghanistan. Now some are wanting to get rid of Trident.

Churchill, whose life we have been celebrating recently, would not be very happy.

So, what have we now? A nation of appeasers and pacifists. A nation tied by its apron strings to Human Rights legislation emanating from Brussels, and a nation who, in their spare time play with their digital toys and think it is healthy.

How many could have done what Lance Corporal Joshua Leakey did in Afghanistan and which won him a VC? Not many.

From: Terry Duncan, Greame Road, Bridlington.

WHY does the UK PM pussyfoot in his appeal to catch the killers of the opponents of Vladimir Putin’s Russian leadership, instead of attacking Putin’s brutal murdering of millions of innocents? Unfortunately, David Cameron is small fry in world affairs.