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Farage is largely right about Ukraine
The fuss about Nigel Farage’s remarks about the war in Ukraine is clearly overblown. He makes clear that he supports Ukrainian sovereignty and unequivocally says that it was wrong for Russia to invade. Describing the causes of the war is no more appeasing Russia or justifying Russia’s actions than arguing that the Versailles Treaty was one of the causes of the Second World War. To make this point neither excuses Germany of blame, nor in any way appeases. It is simply to discuss history.
Ukraine is a sovereign state, and it ought to have been possible for it to choose to join the EU and NATO, but by the same token Cuba is a sovereign state and it ought to have been able to host Soviet nuclear weapons. But during the Cuban Missile Crisis 1962 the United States made this a redline issue and took the world to the brink of war to stop the deployment. Cuba was in USA’s sphere of influence even though it was a sovereign state. If today Russia tried to deploy nuclear weapons in Mexico or attempted to create a military alliance with Mexico, there is little doubt that USA would intervene to stop it.
For this reason, the Euromaidan revolt 2014 that led to the impeachment and departure of Ukraine’s elected president Viktor Yanukovych was unwise and the encouragement it received from the EU and the West generally was unwise too. It led directly to Russia annexing Crimea and the Donbas.
Again, Ukrainians ought to have been allowed to revolt and get rid of their president. It was their business and their business alone and did not justify Russia’s invasion. But it was also a failure to understand the reality of living next door to Russia. This was a long-term policy error since the beginning of Ukraine in 1991.
Jack’s Note: The UK general election happens tomorrow. This is the final campaign day.
