A chara, – Who or what were MEPs Clare Daly and Mick Wallace representing when they decided to oppose the European Parliament resolution calling for the acceleration of Ukraine’s candidacy for EU membership and condemning the Russian invasion? Were they representing the people of Ireland, or their own narrow worldview? With their opposition to this resolution, they fail the people of Ukraine and bring great shame upon the people of Ireland. – Yours, etc,
KAREN SWEENEY,
Dún Laoghaire,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – Roger Cole of the Peace and Neutrality Alliance calls for President Biden to announce the end of Nato expansion in response to Mr Putin's invasion of Ukraine (Letters, March 2nd).
Does he not realise that this would set a precedent ? The logical progression of his argument is that the next time any world leader wants to achieve a foreign policy aim, all they need to do is invade a sovereign country. – Yours, etc,
COLM O’CONNOR,
Dublin 8.
Sir, – Dalkey-based Roger Cole of the Peace and Neutrality Alliance (Pana) writes that, “we acknowledge the right of the Ukrainian people to self-defence”, but then, inter alia, condemns EU attempts to aid them in doing so. He suggests several “solutions” to the current tragic situation, all of which would bring a smile of appreciation to Vladimir Putin’s face. These include Nato questioning its own very existence.
Mr Cole recently dismissed predictions of a Russian invasion of Ukraine as Irish media “hysteria”.
Events have since proved who lives in a fool’s paradise.
The bottom line is that Ukrainians deserve peace and freedom as much as the residents of Dalkey. – Yours, etc,
KARL MARTIN,
Bayside,
Dublin 13
Sir, – All right-thinking people wish to see a just peace in Ukraine as soon as possible, but the incoherent positions set out by the Peace and Neutrality Alliance demonstrate that they have no credible contribution to make in any discussion of how that can be best achieved.
They recognise the right of Ukraine and its people to self-defence but are simultaneously “appalled” by measures that would give Ukrainians the means to defend themselves. They denounce Mr Putin’s invasion as a “gross breach of international laws” yet they call for the negotiation of a new international peace treaty, presumably one that Mr Putin won’t also simply ignore whenever it suits him.
They imagine that the best way to end Mr Putin’s evil war of aggression is to immediately concede to all of his demands and that doing so will encourage lasting peace, rather than merely encouraging Mr Putin to see what extra gains he can make through further aggression.
It’s all well and good that the Peace and Neutrality Alliance “expresses its solidarity” with the people of Ukraine but they would do well to reflect on how closely their positions align with Mr Putin’s interests and his flimsy rationalisations for a brutal war. – Yours, etc,
DENIS McCARTHY,
Dundrum,
Dublin 16.
Sir, – Edward Horgan asserts (Letters, March 1st) that "supplying such a large quantity of lethal weapons into a war zone is likely to increase the numbers of people being killed and is the opposite of promoting peace". Perhaps Mr Horgan might direct his advice to Vladimir Putin and the Russian government for their unwarranted invasion of the sovereign territory of Ukraine in breach of international law. – Yours, etc,
PETER MULVANY,
Dublin 3.
Sir, – Nato’s alleged “expansionism” has been cited by Edward Horgan (Letters, March 1st), among others, as the main trigger for this dreadful war.
When did Nato tanks roll eastwards, forcing these recently liberated territories, under duress, to sign up to Nato membership? They didn’t. And they won’t. Those nations signed up freely. But Nato may be forced into defending rights that we in these parts take for granted.
It is time that Ireland took its place among the free nations of the Earth and signed up too. – Yours, etc,
PADDY McEVOY,
March,
Cambridgeshire, UK.
Sir, – When is Ireland going to give up this nonsensical and morally questionable stance of neutrality? We are a western country with western values. These values are now seriously under threat. It is time for us to play our part in defending them. – Yours, etc,
FRANK BARR,
Dublin 11.
Sir, – Consider two countries to compare with Ireland (population 5.2 million). Denmark (population 5.2 million) sent five of its fleet of F-16 fighters to Lithuania three weeks ago. Finland (population 5.3 million) recently ordered 60 F-35 fighters to begin to replace its F-18s.
Ireland, while confronting the prospect of Russian naval manoeuvres in our waters, deployed two stout men to the Russian embassy.
Denmark is in Nato and there is no doubt that that organisation would welcome being joined by well-armed Finland.
Do you think they dream of Ireland joining? – Yours, etc,
JOHN DOYLE,
Ballinasloe,
Co Galway.
Sir, – Without Ukrainian membership of Nato, Mr Putin was encouraged to attack. With Nato membership, Mr Putin is unlikely to have attacked Ukraine. These events have demonstrated Ireland’s weak position. Our military forces are in no position to withstand an invasion. We have a stark choice. Either we increase our military spending (and even with that we would still be in a weak position), or join Nato. – Yours, etc,
LEONARD HURLEY,
Cahersiveen,
Co Kerry.
Sir, – The request by Ukraine to join the EU should be acceded to without further discussion.
The clock is ticking, the invader is at our back door, a humanitarian disaster is looming. – Yours, etc,
CHRISTY GALLIGAN,
Letterkenny,
Co Donegal.
Sir, – The EU has decided, finally, to send weapons to help Ukraine fight the Russian invasion. Ireland has decided to send only non-lethal material. Presumably we can all wrap ourselves in a cloak of self-righteousness, having once again virtue-signalled our beloved neutrality for all to see.
Given what we have witnessed over the past week, if there was a shed of credibility among those sitting in Dáil Éireann, our application to join Nato would have been sent already. – Yours, etc,
PAUL WILLIAMS,
Kilkee,
Co Clare.
Sir, – Russia invaded Ukraine because Mr Putin knows that the UN is powerless to stop him. He has abused the veto that Russia possesses due to being a permanent member of the Security Council of that body. That same veto turns the UN into a toothless tiger.
Perhaps the rest of the world will wake up to this egregious situation where Mr Putin can give the two fingers to the rest of humanity by invading Ukraine, a sovereign country, and killing thousands of its citizens.
I wonder will our Government start the ball rolling by seeking the removal of the veto?
Until it is gone, I firmly believe that Mr Putin and his ilk will use it to escape justice each time they create havoc worldwide. – Yours, etc,
BOBBY CARTY,
Templeogue,
Dublin 6W.
Sir, – What helped facilitate Vladimir Putin in becoming an unstable despot can also be used to destroy him. Russian money lies both at the root of this evil and its eradication. The proceeds of this 30-year Russian kleptocracy had to, by their very nature, be kept out of Russia to maintain value as the economy was pillaged.
This vast wealth needs to be seized, and the owners of this wealth, in an effort to save their loot, can focus their anger on removing Mr Putin, as his cronies and enablers will otherwise see only a future living in poverty within the Russian landmass or holidays in North Korea. – Yours, etc,
JOHN O’CONNELL,
Letterkenny,
Co Donegal.
Sir, – Now that the Spike has stood in the centre of O’Connell Street for 20 years and has not made much of a positive contribution to anything during that time, now is the time to change all that.
Hang the largest available Ukrainian flag from the top of it and underneath it, at half mast, a small Russian flag, upside down. – Yours, etc,
PHILIP O’REILLY,
Rathmines,
Dublin 6.