Dette innlegget er også tilgjengelig i: Norsk bokmål Русский Українська

On February 24, Russia launched its brutal assault on neighboring Ukraine. Actually, this is a war that started back in 2014. But February 24 is considered the start of the Russian attempt to take the whole country. 2 years of terror from Putin’s regime. Horrific war crimes, hundreds of thousands killed and even more injured since the madness began. Ukraine is fighting for its democracy and its right to be a separate and independent country.

A war for democracy against dictatorship

The war is a fight to keep Ukraine as a separate state. The war is also a fight for Ukraine’s language and Ukrainian culture. But most of all, the war is Ukraine’s struggle to be able to decide in its own country. Decide through democratic processes. Russia and Putin stand for the opposite. Ukraine’s democracy is at stake.

It is Western European values against the totalitarian mindset that Putin stands for. It’s Europe’s democracies against Russia’s dictatorship. The USA, Canada, Australia and a number of European countries have supported Ukraine by providing weapons and humanitarian aid. Ukraine is also supported with direct financial support. Without this funding, Ukraine would not be able to pay the nurses, doctors, teachers and others needed to keep the country afloat in a time of war. The support is crucial.

Morale of the Ukrainian people is enormous. The people are fighting a desperate battle against the great superpower. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj stands as a symbol of resistance and is the unifying figure the country needs.

Some countries seem to be willing to use Ukraine more often. In the US, Donald Trump’s supporters in particular do not see the purpose of the support the US provides. Ukraine is completely dependent on this support, both from the US and the rest of the democratic world.

Feel free to read my blog from February 20, 2022 where I wrote that we are waiting for war. 24 February 2022 I also wrote a blog when the war started.

Europe’s fear

In Europe, there is a fear of what will happen if Russia wins the war. The fear is that the dream of restoring the old Soviet Empire continues. Which countries will be next? Will it be Moldova, one of the Baltic countries, Georgia or someone else. Putin’s dream of ruling over others means that Ukraine is unlikely to be the last country in the series, probably the very first in a number of countries.

Therefore, this is not just Ukraine’s war. It’s the war of all Europe. Stopping Putin now is easier than stopping him later.

Sources:

Russo-Ukrainian War – Wikipedia

Russia’s war in Ukraine: official website | MFA of Ukraine