• QUITE apart from the sovereign legitimacy of Ukraine to preserve its dignity and right of self-determination, Vladimir Putin is opening a threat to Western democracies in Europe and beyond.

Is his aim to reconstruct the Soviet empire in eastern and central Europe, leaving us to face this aggression head-on a few years’ hence?

We cannot allow history to repeat itself, aware of the dangers from appeasement. As things stand our superiority to Russia economically and in commercial technology as well as military capacity would, if enforced, render that country bankrupt, ensuring a Russian retreat.

CN KYLE, N7