Sir, – The calls for the expulsion of the Russian ambassador to Ireland are misguided. The appalling and barbaric invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation has rightly caused a severe reaction throughout the world, including with civic society in Russia. All right-minded people utterly condemn it. President Putin has made a major error which may well be his downfall. At times of crisis, calm heads and level-headed thinking must prevail. Having a senior Russian diplomatic figure in Dublin reporting directly and regularly back to the Kremlin about our outrage is much more effective than a single dramatic gesture. We need a negotiated settlement to this terrible war and diplomatic channels must be kept open.
Calls for an Irish visa ban on ordinary Russian citizens should also be resisted as these Russians have not been part of this outrageous breach of international law. – Yours, etc,
RAY BASSETT,
(Former Irish ambassador
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to Canada, Jamaica
and the Bahamas),
Dublin 15.
Sir, – Am I the only one to be disturbed by the cancellation of both the St Petersburg and the Royal Moscow ballets at the Bord Gáis Theatre and the Helix in light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine?
This seems reminiscent of the banning of the performance of Beethoven and other German composers in Britain during the first World War.
I would argue that, at a time of war and all the heightened emotions engendered by that, now is precisely the time for us to listen to voices from all sides and keep open communication of the best that each country has to offer.
Cancelling ballets may help some people feel they are making a valuable contribution instead of doing nothing, but what does it practically achieve apart from jumping on bandwagons and grabbing virtue-signalling headlines? – Yours, etc,
DAVID DOYLE,
Dublin 4.
Sir, – In common with many people around Europe, I am disgusted at the invasion of Ukraine, but I am not surprised, since Vladimir Putin clearly signalled his intentions. Western governments and companies, including those in Ireland, chose to trade with despots and are thus enablers of this brutal Russian invasion.
Trade with autocrats and mass-murderers is always wrong. Democratic countries must now impose a complete embargo on Russia, and Europe must be prepared to endure serious economic hardship in order to show solidarity with Ukrainians, which will include forfeiting gas supplies from Russia.
It is a betrayal to leave Ukrainians to fight a conflict that we, in our greed and complacency, helped to engender. It is a moral imperative that we aid Ukraine. – Yours, etc,
OSKAR BUKOLT,
Skibbereen,
Co Cork.
Sir, – Whatever the validity of Vladimir Putin’s protestations about the threat to Russia’s security, Ukrainians do not wish to be governed by Russia.
The rationale that Ukraine needs to be “de-nazified” by its fraternal Russian counterpart is an absurd and dangerous historical distortion. At the last election, the far-right party polled barely 2 per cent and a Jewish president was elected.
Liberal democracy, with all its imperfections, has provided more security and prosperity to the citizens of Europe than the twin evils of fascism and communism. The hot topics of immigration and nationalism which have been pursued by far-right politicians in Europe for half a century have not elected a single government. This is a remarkable record, given the fractious make-up of European societies.
Ukraine was the location for one quarter of the human casualties in the second World War. One million Jews alone were murdered there in the Holocaust of Bullets in 1940 and 1941.
Mr Putin’s machinations must be resisted with severe economic sanctions, however painful they may be for the West.
In Europe, there is no appetite for another war that will devour the young and traumatise the following generations. We are only just recovering, psychologically, from the last set of deluded dictators who sent their grandchildren to their deaths. – Yours, etc,
OLIVER SEARS,
Holocaust Awareness
Ireland,
Dublin 2.
Sir, – I am a Russian citizen living in Ireland. I spent 11 years in Ukraine (from 2006 to 2017) and regularly visited the country until it was not possible to do so due to Covid restrictions.
Vladimir Putin claims that Ukraine needs “de-nazification”, but this is an outrageous lie. Ukraine’s President Zelenskiy is a Jew, along with many other Ukrainian officials, and Ukraine is home to one of the most iconic Jewish communities in the world.
Russian speakers are not oppressed in Ukraine; during my time there I have never experienced anything of the kind, even after Russia illegally annexed Crimea and fomented unrest in Ukraine’s eastern regions. Russia’s violence against this peaceful and hard-working nation is unjust and unjustifiable.
The world, including Ireland, should do everything it can to make sure Russia is heavily punished for bringing large-scale warfare back to Europe. – Yours, etc,
PAVEL URUSOV,
Drumcondra,
Dublin 9.
Sir, – The EU must organise itself as a "real continental power" or "face oblivion", states the ever-prescient former Belgian prime minister and current MEP Guy Verhofstadt (News, February 26th).
Given such a stark choice – and judging from the EU’s typically useless response to the current crisis in Ukraine – would it not be better all round to simply go with the second option?
Either way, I don’t suppose we will be allowed a vote on the matter. – Yours, etc,
SIMON O’NEILL,
Bray, Co Wicklow.
Sir, – Once again the hypocrisy of our neutral stance is exposed for all to see. It is clear that Ukraine needs real help – weapons, armour and ammunition. We in Ireland, however, are too proud of our neutrality, as if we are morally superior to those who fight when it is necessary. It is time for us to stand up, choose a side and demonstrate that we are on the right side of history. – Yours, etc,
COLM O’CONNOR,
Dublin 8.
Sir, – We are not neutral. We are defenceless. – Yours, etc,
M JOHN KENNEDY,
Ranelagh,
Dublin 6.