| The world is in shock at the pictures we can see coming out of Ukraine at the moment. While we have seen small-scale wars across the world since 1945, this has the feel of something which could fester and grow into something much larger. Nato countries are reluctant to give widespread support to Ukraine because it is not a member of Nato...merely a partner. So sending troops into the country to help fight against Russian military attacks would be outside of its rules. The problem here is that the world is playing by a fixed set of rules while a tyrant makes his own, based on a false narrative, that he is protecting those in Ukraine who have been subjected to bullying and genocide. There is no evidence for this or any of his other outlandish claims. Putin fears the West’s power and harks back to the post-war days when Russia was a dominant force. For a former KGB man, his country’s decreasing influence in the world has been hard to take. So he has seen his chance and gone for it. We have to take ours before it is too late. Until next time, take care, Gillian Contact me at gillian.parkinson@jpimedia.co.uk | 
