Feb 27, 2022
I have great admiration for the courage and strength that Ukrainians are showing in fighting against Vladimir Putin’s vicious, brutal aggression. They are inspiring people around the world in the way they are standing up for freedom and democracy against great odds.
Vladimir Putin is clearly a barbaric, ruthless authoritarian autocrat who for years has had a reputation of being cold blooded and calculating in his quest to enhance and expand his power. He has imprisoned and killed political opponents as well as established significant control over Russian media. It’s also become quite clear how he desperately wants to reestablish as much dominance and control over former Soviet republics as he can because he views the dissolution of the Soviet Union as a catastrophic event. Another factor that is likely playing a role is that Russian power in the world has been decreasing while that of other countries such as China has been rising. But what is more disturbing is how it seems Putin has become increasingly unhinged, desperate, and likely surrounded by individuals who never disagree with him. It’s obvious that he has despised and fumed at seeing an independent Ukraine which has become more democratic and closer to the European Union while growing increasingly distant from Russia. This toxic soup of Putin’s led to his seizure of Crimea in 2014 and his instigation of Russian separatists in the Donbas region. These actions pushed Ukraine even closer to the West and more distant from Russia. And now we have Putin’s brutal, unwarranted Russian invasion, a blatant move of bloody aggression as he attempts to impose even more dominance and control over Ukraine. Furthermore, what’s also dangerously disturbing is that considering Putin’s attitude regarding former Soviet republics (don’t forget that he already seizured part of Georgia), it’s obvious that he doesn’t intend to stop with Ukraine.
We all need to unite against this senseless, vicious, bloody brutality and rally to Ukraine’s support. I’m glad the United States, NATO, and other countries are imposing serious sanctions to punish Putin’s Russia. The international community must isolate Russia as much as possible and make it the pariah that it has become. And nations need to send as much aid as they can to Ukraine in the form of weapons, ammunition, and humanitarian supplies to help the Ukrainian people as they battle Putin’s tyranny.
It’s clear that a renewed cold war has now descended upon the world, and it will be vitally important for as much of the international community as possible to work together for as long as it takes to minimize the damage Putin can inflict upon the world.
Views and Observations 