Salvatore Murtas is a media professional and Conservative activist.
Four years on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, we have to stop lying to ourselves. War is in Europe, and it will soon spread to the rest of the continent.
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has been in the news constantly since February 2022 to the point that we are almost accustomed to it.
The war in Ukraine is in the news, but it’s not news anymore.
The toll is striking. 70,000 civilians and half a million military personnel are the estimated casualties on the Ukrainian side alone. NATO estimates roughly 1.5 million casualties on the Russian side, but figures are not confirmed.
Whatever the actual casualties are, the tragedy of the conflict is there for all to see. And Europe is doing nothing concrete to move towards a resolution.
Western democracies have been so accustomed to peace in the continent that have made no concrete attempt to solve the conflict.
Germany, France, Italy, the UK have been so caught up with internal affairs that the war in Ukraine has been almost an afterthought. A collection of statements and memorandum of intents that have made questionable material difference to the course of the war.
Although the major European states have pledge €228.7 billion in military aid, independent tracking groups like the Kiel Institute for the World Economy note a massive distinction between what is “earmarked/committed” for the military versus what has actually arrived on the frontlines.
Between €40 and €45 billion worth of equipment delivered – weapons, ammunition, and gear – comes from individual member states dipping directly into their active stockpiles.
Also, big part of the committed resources are not actually translating into an immediate support.
For instance, while Germany reports €57.6 billion in “military support provided or earmarked,” €22 billion of that represents future commitments, and billions more are tied up in domestic military replenishment rather than direct frontline shipping.
To give a term of reference, the UK alone spent £1.4 trillion in today’s money during WWII.
Which translates into Europe not being at all serious about the scale of military expenditure needed to make a difference in the Ukraine conflict.
In other words, Europe has been lying to itself. Since the end of the Cold War we have taken peace for granted, we have wrongly assumed that the freedoms we enjoy are universally shared.
We have indulged in spurious debates like gender and pronouns, or pseudo threats such as fascism while the rest of the world powers are engaging in acts of domination and prevarication.
We convinced ourselves that Russia, and for that matter China and the Middle East, are playing by 21st century rules, while they are still playing by the 19th century colonial ones.
The battles we have fought and won in the Western world for values such as freedom of speech, women rights, gay rights have made us complacent in thinking that everyone in the world would welcome them as their own, and yet they mean nothing to them.
And yet Europe decided to believe that throwing breadcrumbs at Ukraine would be sufficient. The West is so self-obsessed with its internal issues that we have forgotten the first duty of any government is ‘the defence of the realm’, ensuring the security of the country it serves.
Our obsessions have blinded us to the fact that if Ukraine falls, Europe will be deep into another conflict engulfing the continent. And the option will be either to bow to Russia, and its proxy China, so as to minimise the scope of the conflict, or fight an uphill war already into Europe, on Polish and Hungarian land.
The former Soviet nations in Eastern Europe know very well how devastating and dehumanising the Russian yoke is. Fifty years of Soviet domination are still seared in their inner souls.
But the Western world is too blind to see it, and what’s worse America is shying away from leadership.
President Trump does not understand politics, he is totally oblivious to the intricacies of diplomacy and international relations. He deals with foreign counterparts as if it were a business deal, which sometimes can be useful in its disruptive essence when trade deals are to be struck. But politics is not business. And wars are not fought in the comfort of a board room.
The pompous announcement of an energy deal he made with Putin only a few weeks ago – probably aimed at forcing the Ukrainian President to accept an unacceptable deal – was so crass, treacherous and outright immoral that the Founding Fathers must have turned in their graves.
To make such a myopic volte-face on an ally fighting for its right to the integrity and sovereignty of its country on the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of independence of the USA is quite astonishing.
Has the US truly forgotten its funding principles of self-determination? Has it abandoned altogether its role as the most formidable champion of individual rights and territorial integrity?
If it has, Britain must step in as beacon of freedom. Just as she did against Nazi Germany under the leadership of Winston Churchill. Then, like now, appeasement was the byword, the ultimate goal the British elite strived for, afraid of another catastrophic war. If history has taught us anything, there is no appeasing tyrants. Churchill fought against it, the people of Britain took his side, and he was proven right.
On VE Day he famously declared “I say that in the long years to come not only will the people of this island but of the world, wherever the bird of freedom chirps in human hearts, look back to what we’ve done and they will say “do not despair, do not yield to violence and tyranny, march straight forward and die if need be-unconquered.”
As the head of the British Army General Sir Roly Walker, Chief of the General Staff, said recently to hundreds of soldiers in Catterick Garrison, Britain must face a frank conversation about the necessity to spend more on defence and security and the sacrifices it will also have to make on other areas.[7]
So let’s regain a sense of purpose, let’s lead when others fail. Let’s stand for what it’s right, let’s stand up for our fellow man who craves freedom and deserves peace, let’s not shy away from our destiny.
Let’s reinstate national conscription in this nation to boost our Armed Forces, in the same way that Britain prepared for the war effort against the tyrannical power of Nazi Germany, as advised by Churchill in 1938.
“We shall, no doubt, arm. Britain, casting away the habits of centuries, will decree national service upon her citizens. The British people will stand erect, and will face whatever may be coming.”
And may the British example inspire the other European nations to prepare for the worst, because war is already at our doorstep.
Salvatore Murtas is a media professional and Conservative activist.
Four years on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, we have to stop lying to ourselves. War is in Europe, and it will soon spread to the rest of the continent.
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has been in the news constantly since February 2022 to the point that we are almost accustomed to it.
The war in Ukraine is in the news, but it’s not news anymore.
The toll is striking. 70,000 civilians and half a million military personnel are the estimated casualties on the Ukrainian side alone. NATO estimates roughly 1.5 million casualties on the Russian side, but figures are not confirmed.
Whatever the actual casualties are, the tragedy of the conflict is there for all to see. And Europe is doing nothing concrete to move towards a resolution.
Western democracies have been so accustomed to peace in the continent that have made no concrete attempt to solve the conflict.
Germany, France, Italy, the UK have been so caught up with internal affairs that the war in Ukraine has been almost an afterthought. A collection of statements and memorandum of intents that have made questionable material difference to the course of the war.
Although the major European states have pledge €228.7 billion in military aid, independent tracking groups like the Kiel Institute for the World Economy note a massive distinction between what is “earmarked/committed” for the military versus what has actually arrived on the frontlines.
Between €40 and €45 billion worth of equipment delivered – weapons, ammunition, and gear – comes from individual member states dipping directly into their active stockpiles.
Also, big part of the committed resources are not actually translating into an immediate support.
For instance, while Germany reports €57.6 billion in “military support provided or earmarked,” €22 billion of that represents future commitments, and billions more are tied up in domestic military replenishment rather than direct frontline shipping.
To give a term of reference, the UK alone spent £1.4 trillion in today’s money during WWII.
Which translates into Europe not being at all serious about the scale of military expenditure needed to make a difference in the Ukraine conflict.
In other words, Europe has been lying to itself. Since the end of the Cold War we have taken peace for granted, we have wrongly assumed that the freedoms we enjoy are universally shared.
We have indulged in spurious debates like gender and pronouns, or pseudo threats such as fascism while the rest of the world powers are engaging in acts of domination and prevarication.
We convinced ourselves that Russia, and for that matter China and the Middle East, are playing by 21st century rules, while they are still playing by the 19th century colonial ones.
The battles we have fought and won in the Western world for values such as freedom of speech, women rights, gay rights have made us complacent in thinking that everyone in the world would welcome them as their own, and yet they mean nothing to them.
And yet Europe decided to believe that throwing breadcrumbs at Ukraine would be sufficient. The West is so self-obsessed with its internal issues that we have forgotten the first duty of any government is ‘the defence of the realm’, ensuring the security of the country it serves.
Our obsessions have blinded us to the fact that if Ukraine falls, Europe will be deep into another conflict engulfing the continent. And the option will be either to bow to Russia, and its proxy China, so as to minimise the scope of the conflict, or fight an uphill war already into Europe, on Polish and Hungarian land.
The former Soviet nations in Eastern Europe know very well how devastating and dehumanising the Russian yoke is. Fifty years of Soviet domination are still seared in their inner souls.
But the Western world is too blind to see it, and what’s worse America is shying away from leadership.
President Trump does not understand politics, he is totally oblivious to the intricacies of diplomacy and international relations. He deals with foreign counterparts as if it were a business deal, which sometimes can be useful in its disruptive essence when trade deals are to be struck. But politics is not business. And wars are not fought in the comfort of a board room.
The pompous announcement of an energy deal he made with Putin only a few weeks ago – probably aimed at forcing the Ukrainian President to accept an unacceptable deal – was so crass, treacherous and outright immoral that the Founding Fathers must have turned in their graves.
To make such a myopic volte-face on an ally fighting for its right to the integrity and sovereignty of its country on the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of independence of the USA is quite astonishing.
Has the US truly forgotten its funding principles of self-determination? Has it abandoned altogether its role as the most formidable champion of individual rights and territorial integrity?
If it has, Britain must step in as beacon of freedom. Just as she did against Nazi Germany under the leadership of Winston Churchill. Then, like now, appeasement was the byword, the ultimate goal the British elite strived for, afraid of another catastrophic war. If history has taught us anything, there is no appeasing tyrants. Churchill fought against it, the people of Britain took his side, and he was proven right.
On VE Day he famously declared “I say that in the long years to come not only will the people of this island but of the world, wherever the bird of freedom chirps in human hearts, look back to what we’ve done and they will say “do not despair, do not yield to violence and tyranny, march straight forward and die if need be-unconquered.”
As the head of the British Army General Sir Roly Walker, Chief of the General Staff, said recently to hundreds of soldiers in Catterick Garrison, Britain must face a frank conversation about the necessity to spend more on defence and security and the sacrifices it will also have to make on other areas.[7]
So let’s regain a sense of purpose, let’s lead when others fail. Let’s stand for what it’s right, let’s stand up for our fellow man who craves freedom and deserves peace, let’s not shy away from our destiny.
Let’s reinstate national conscription in this nation to boost our Armed Forces, in the same way that Britain prepared for the war effort against the tyrannical power of Nazi Germany, as advised by Churchill in 1938.
“We shall, no doubt, arm. Britain, casting away the habits of centuries, will decree national service upon her citizens. The British people will stand erect, and will face whatever may be coming.”
And may the British example inspire the other European nations to prepare for the worst, because war is already at our doorstep.