Sir, – Bobby McDonagh says the United Kingdom has a “pervasive, irrational hostility” towards her European neighbours (“Next British PM really can ‘take back control’, in more ways than one”, Opinion & Analysis, July 23rd). He scoffs at Global Britain.
While sharing Mr McDonagh’s jaundiced view of Boris Johnson’s government, Der Spiegel, Germany’s leading news and opinion magazine, reports that the Baltic countries, Poland, the Czech Republic and other central and eastern European countries regard London not Berlin as a reliable partner.
In April, the UK sent tanks, artillery and 8,000 troops for exercises in the region while undertaking arms deliveries, reconnaissance flights and intelligence surveillance.
Germany’s offer to send 5,000 protective helmets was received with derision in Ukraine. Der Spiegel concludes that, at a time of crisis in continental Europe, there is no substitute for Britain. The only country displaying “pervasive, irrational hostility” towards Europe is Russia.
Europe is under military attack, facing its greatest threat in several generations. As the UK has sent an aircraft carrier, a dozen F-35 fighter jets, destroyers, frigates and a nuclear submarine to the Indo-Pacific region, Der Spiegel’s fear is not British perfidy but that her power is being stretched too thinly between Europe, the Atlantic and the Pacific to provide a military backbone against aggression from the East.
Mr McDonagh claims that the “UK’s loss of control over the decisions at European level” was a foolish consequence of Brexit. But who is now, literally, calling the shots? – Yours, etc,
Dr JOHN DOHERTY,
Gaoth Dobhair,
Co Dhún na nGall.