President Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is rejected by a political consensus in UK, including in Northern Ireland

News Letter editorial of Friday February 25 2022:
News Letter editorialNews Letter editorial
News Letter editorial

At times in our privileged western world political views that can seem to be widely held political come close to a form of self hatred.

There is often scathing criticism of our own failures in Britain and America, and then notably less criticism of brutal international regimes.

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This is apparent, for example, in the attitudes to China, which is guilty of shocking internal repression and alarming regional aggression. The stripping of Hong Kong’s democracy and press freedoms is met with an often muted response from some observers who are bitterly critical of the UK and US.

It is as if such voices foolishly think of China, or indeed Russia, as underdogs.

It has been gratifying therefore, amid the horror of what is happening in Ukraine, to see almost universal political revulsion in Britain, and here in Northern Ireland.

While Beijing is already making excuses for Moscow’s invasion, almost no-one on the political spectrum here is falling for any absurd idea that President Putin’s acts are justified.

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Perhaps the mildest criticism of the attack came from the Sinn Fein president, Mary Lou McDonald, and yet she did call for “strong and united” response to the invasion including sanctions that are “commensurate with Russian aggression”.

Opposite (in the print edition) you can read other reactions to the assault from the SDLP leader Colum Eastwood and the Alliance deputy leader Stephen Farry.

Such consensus is welcome. It suggests that at a time of grave international peril we can see more clearly that what unites us in Northern Ireland is much greater than what divides us.

The attack on Ukraine is disaster, to which there is no easy political answer. Putin knows that the West will not put troops on the ground and that sanctions will hurt us too.

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It is welcome to see that many UK politicians are recognising that we might have to endure some economic suffering as a result of standing up for crucial western values, above all a repudiation of dictatorial power.

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