It is better to support Ukraine reasonably cheaply now than to have to wage a very expensive war ourselves in five years’ time. So says defense specialist Patrick Bolder of The Hague Center for Strategic Studies in BNR Business Doing. “You don’t hear this message enough.”
Explosions
Loud explosions were heard today in several cities in Ukraine, including Kiev. Ukrainian authorities say the explosions came from air defense systems firing approaching Russian missiles from the sky. The Ukrainian army speaks of ‘huge attacks’ which, according to Bolder, are aimed not so much at conquering territory, but at showing the West that they can hold out longer than the West can support Ukraine. That is why it is so important for the West to continue supporting Ukraine. Otherwise we would agree with Putin and see that his strategy works and that the West is really weak, as he calls it,’ says Bolder.
Weakness in the West
According to Bolder, we demonstrated that weakness in the West that Putin talks about “when we did little with the capture of Crimea in 2014.” ‘We were fine with that. Our reaction after the downing of MH17 was also very tepid. This has reinforced Putin’s suspicion that the West is weak. But if we don’t stop Putin, his war crimes, child abductions, rapes and crimes against humanity will not be punished and will continue. That is why it is important for the West to stop it. Otherwise we will have a big problem in five or ten years, and not only in Ukraine.’
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2.5 billion
According to Bolder, in the Netherlands we mainly talk about high energy prices and the €2.5 billion going to Ukraine, but if that €2.5 billion doesn’t go to Ukraine, we’ll be out in the cold in five years, according to him. Then Putin will squeeze us even more. And much more direct. This message should be much clearer. War is not on our doorstep now, but if we do nothing now, it will enter the kitchen. We have to prevent it. It is better for us to support Ukraine at a reasonably low price now than to have to wage a very expensive war ourselves in five years’ time, Bolder emphasizes.
“We are affected by high inflation and energy costs, but this cannot be solved without solving the war. This connection has not been established sufficiently.’
Source: BNR
Sharon Rock is an author and journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. She has a passion for learning about different cultures and understanding the complexities of the world. With a talent for explaining complex global issues in an accessible and engaging way, Sharon has become a respected voice in the field of world news journalism.
