Firstly, a happy St David’s Day to all Welsh readers!
I am a creature of habit. I admit it freely. Those who know me will remark that is one of most distinguishing features. One of my habits is to ensure that the telephones (mobile/landline) are switched off/put to silent when I turn in for the night.
Since I do not suffer from OCD, I occasionally forget. Generally this due to being busy or something significant – like the “catastrophe” described by Laura Kussenberg (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgddp56570o) in the White House. A long time ago (in the late 1990s) I forgot to do this and the telephone rang at 3AM in the morning. I am a very light sleeper so I got up and answered it. A voice on the other end asked, “Can I book a mini-cab to pick me up please?” They had got the wrong number. I told them so and they rang off. Without even saying sorry!
Now readers will know that Laura Kussenberg/Mrs James Kelly and I will have very different views on certain topics. For instance, I happen to think that there are two genders male and female. I have no idea how many Mrs Kelly thinks there are. I am however very confident in my belief that Mrs Kelly thinks that the present level of CO2 in Earth’s atmosphere is a problem; whereas I do not! À propos of CO2, I happen to think that my views about CO2 may be shared by a certain President Donald Trump. However I do NOT think President Zelenskyy is the “bad guy” and I DO think President Putin is the bad guy vis-à-vis the so-called “Special Military Operation” in Ukraine! From the text of Mrs Kelly’s piece her view matches min on this.
Where Mrs Kelly and I agree (I think) is that this is a very serious wake up call to Sir Keir Starmer and the other European leaders!
These leaders are going to have to make some very “difficult” [difficult meaning unpopular] decisions!
Sir Keir Starmer is going to have to raise defence expenditure higher [min 3.5% more like 4.5%] sooner [now] and integrate the increase in materiel acquisition with other European powers and eschewing US materiel. This is going to be VERY unpopular as it will mean raising taxes and diverting expenditure from other areas! Borrowing will have to be increased as well!
Further more, Foreign Secretary Mr Lammy is going to have to prevail upon other European powers such as Spain and Portugal to drastically increase their defence expenditure – these nations expenditure languishes way below 2%!
OK then…….
What “peace plan” for Ukraine will work?
This:
An internationally recognised treaty in which:
– Ukraine cedes the oblasts of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhia, Kherson and Crimea to Russia.
– All sanctions on Russia are lifted.
– That no reparations are levied on either belligerent.
– That should the government of Ukraine decide apply to join NATO and should NATO accept the application, Article 5 will apply.
NB: NATO membership is essential to prevent Russia from re-attacking Ukraine.