Sunak: Support Ukraine Quicker

Mr. Sunak will hold a minute's silence on the anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Prime Minister will be joined by Ukrainian Ambassador Vadym Prystaiko and members of the Ukrainian armed forces.

When Russia invaded last February it thought it could take Kyiv just as the US took Baghdad. Despite overwhelming Russian force Ukraine by sheer tenacity and Western training plus weapons sabotaged Russia's effort.

Hence Russia and Ukraine slogging it out in the eastern part of the country. Russia has already incorporated part of captured Ukraine into Russia proper. Ukraine is trying to win back this territory from Russian occupation.

Mr. Sunak has urged and will urge G7 nations to quicken up the pace of aid to Ukraine. It is important Western nations speed up help for Ukraine. The time for incremental help is over the West must move quickly to help Ukraine gain a "decisive win" on the battlefield. To change Putin's mindset and that will come through Ukraine winning such a victory Sunak said.

Johnson and Zelensky enjoyed a close relationship. For all the ills many accuse the former Prime Minister of Johnson was and probably still does remain popular support in Ukraine. Sunak and Zelensky are close but whether Sunak is as popular in Ukraine as Johnson no evidence has come to light.

The UK has taken in 20,000 Ukrainian refugees and has a good record of this with Afghans and Syrians too. Despite our NHS, welfare, infrastructure, etc, crumbling.

Belarus has so far kept out of the conflict. Russia used that territory as a launchpad to invade Ukraine last year. Whether the country will commit its own armed forces to help Russia remains to be seen. Alexander Lukashenko is a dictator himself in Belarus. Putin it is said cannot stand Lukashenko never the less Russia needs all the allies it can get at the moment. Russia has suffered heavily on the battlefield in men and materials. China and Iran are helping Russia's war effort. Ukraine too has been devastated and lost many soldiers and civilians.

Sunak pointed out that the next few weeks will be crucial for both Russia and Ukraine. It is those weeks that the West must push to give Ukraine that crucial victory against the Russians Sunak repeated.

Nations like the UK, Germany, the USA, etc, are sending their state-of-the- art tanks. Germany will be sending its Leopard tanks, USA Abrahms tanks and the UK Challengers. Ukrainian soldiers have been training in the west on these vehicles. One Ukrainian soldier said, "training to use the German Leopard tanks was like driving a BMW".

Such is the precision of German engineering that the Leopard must have been a pleasure to operate. At first, Germany was reluctant to send these marvels of military mechanics.

Obviously because of WWII as Nazi forces fought Russia in Ukraine at that time. Ukraine welcomed the Germans in as liberators from Stalin. However, Ukrainian forces also committed genocide on Jews alongside their German counterparts at this time. Even the Germans were shocked at the Ukrainian enthusiasm for genocide. The Russians were eventually victorious and pushed on to Germany.

It is reckoned if the British Army was engaged in fighting Russia we would run out of ammunition. Such is the state of the UK armed forces. It would take 10 years to gather 25,000 - 30,000 combat-ready soldiers. Such is the state because of cutbacks under various governments. The fact that we issue words of support for Ukraine, offering training and weapons is good. But if called on our armed forces could not fight Russia one to one. Given our proud military history of service that is indeed disgraceful.

popular