Sir, – Your editorial of July 20th about the Russian aggression in Ukraine has been mistakenly criticised by Sabina Coyne Higgins in her letter to you of July 27th. Every reasonable person shares her desire for peace in Ukraine. But her letter seeks, mistakenly, to put President Zelenskiy and the aggressor Putin on the same footing, as if each had the same obligation to cease fighting.
Putin has an obligation to stop waging war in Ukraine and to withdraw from illegally occupied Ukrainian territory. But Ukraine has no obligation to stop its military defence of its own territory and people.
There is no obligation on Ukraine to enter peace negotiations with Russia until, at the very least, Putin stops his aggression and starts to withdraw from illegally occupied territory.
Therefore your editorial is correct. Europe, including Ireland, must continue to support Ukraine. – Yours, etc,
PATRICK MOONEY,
Dublin 4.