Letters to the Editor: Putin’s ties with China could insulate Russia against energy sanctions
Russian president Vladimir Putin and Chinese president Xi Jinping, who have met 38 times — both leaders want to restore their countries to former glories. Picture: AP
Interference with Russia is potentially dangerous as China, another giant, could very easily support Russia in its Ukrainian ambitions.
China supports Ukrainian sovereignty, but opposes Nato’s eastwards expansion. The US is rightly worried by Russia’s ‘no limits’ non-aggression pact with China as this could realign the present world order.
It’s very telling that Russia's president Vladimir Putin and China's president Xi Jinping have met 38 times.
They share a drive to restore their countries to their former glories, which they believe were diminished by Europe and the US, whose joint power they brazenly challenge.
They also believe that Taiwan is an integral part of China. They also blocked UN attempts to limit missile testing in North Korea.
During his 2020 campaign, US president Joe Biden may have prematurely described Russia, and not China, as being a ‘short-term’ foreign policy challenge.
Added to this challenge is Russia’s recent agreement to supply gas to China for 30 years.
Like other sanctions against Russia, this contract with China offsets any disruption posed by the closing of the Nord Stream pipeline. If Russia can’t be wounded through energy sanctions, then there is no possibility of thwarting it.
Nobody should really be surprised that Putin and the Russian army have invaded, and want to return a once great Russian empire.
The next obvious concern, after the rest of the Ukraine, will be with what happens in Taiwan.
The reality is that nobody wants to get into a real, possibly nuclear, war with either of these superpowers.
The other superpower, the USA, is hopefully sensible enough to avoid an all-out war. How many more people have to die on the actions of another
tyrant?
The condemnation by UN Secretary General António Guterres of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine rings hollow given that the UN has long been unfit for purpose — not incidentally but by design.
How so? Well, there are five permanent members of the UN security council. Based on the perceived victors in the Second World War, they are The US, Britain, France, Russia, and China.
Bad enough that this quintet should be permanent members of the security council but far, far worse is the fact that each of them has a power of veto.
In effect this means that any one of them can paralyse the UN by simply vetoing any proposed UN action of which they do not approve.
This leaves Putin free, through the Russian representative, to paralyse the UN.
The sanctions imposed on Russia by Western democracies are little more than window dressing.
Those proposed by the UK are hugely disappointing. Nor are those crafted by the US calculated to be very effective either.
However, the most worrisome feature of the international crisis is that US president Joe Biden, leader of the West, appears unfit for that huge responsibility.
Just as the pandemic brought forth a generation of armchair experts in epidemiology and virology, we now have the spectacle of numerous expert defence analysts arguing that Ireland should be developing a defence capability against invasion by Russia, no less.
Apparently, a few fighter planes and naval vessels costing a mere few billion to buy, deploy, and maintain, will do the job.
For everybody like myself who thinks that the sanctions against Vladimir Putin and Russian oligarchs are going to be futile — they are hardly going to miss the odd yacht in three or four, or one billion here or there — here’s an idea that will have far great impact, without actually going to war:
You send a letter or postcard to the Russian president telling him what you think of his actions, marked personal.
They may be despatched to him at the Russian parliament, or alternatively to any convenient Russian embassy, either in person or by post.
Alternatively, you can send your messages of support to the people of Ukraine via President Zelenskyy using the same method.
My conservative guess is that either tactic is worth more to the citizens of Ukraine than several brigades of battle-hardened veterans.
Mine are already winging their way to their destinations.
Back in the days of the traditional family rosary, I remember my mother exhorting us to pray for president Kennedy as he faced off against Russia. With Mr Putin now involved, one wonders if we have a prayer?
I listen with incredulity to endless blame and threats from the US, the EU/Nato, and Britain as they feebly try to lash out at Russia.
All appear utterly amazed that Russia should object to weaponry encirclement by a decidedly belligerent and hostile Nato. It appears they desire another “change of regime”.
Of course western politicians reckon the master stroke is to “target” the wealth of individual Russians which must surely force them to capitulate and change policy.
Reports in your Sport Monday (February 22) pull-out about Maggie Farrelly becoming the first woman to referee a National Football League match were enjoyable — Maggie Farrelly: 'Yes, this is a historic moment but it is done now'.
Fair play to her, and to the Irish Examiner for featuring the achievement so prominently on pages 1-3 of the sports section.
As Farrelly inevitably sets her sights on bigger GAA games, you may soon have to rename the ‘Man in the Middle’ section of ‘The 60 Second Report’.
In relation to the article Buses travelling deliberately slower unbelievably frustrating for commuter (Irish Examiner, February 21), I’d much rather the buses ran on time as there is nothing more frustrating than a bus that leaves early.
I’ve absolutely no problem with sitting on a warm bus longer than usual to achieve this.
