In the short amount of time since my last post, Russia has declared war, and invaded Ukraine. It is a very turbulent time at the moment. There is so much information going around and I know it can all feel truly overwhelming. I will do my best to articulate my current thoughts on the situation. 

My first initial thought is that this is finally the time for the West to become united once more. After a long arduous time of having internal political warfare and polarisation, this is the wakeup call for us to rise out of our slump and focus collectively on the main issues facing humanity. All of our debates and verbal fistycuffs seem extremely miniscule when compared with the scenes of terror coming out of the Ukraine at this current time. While we have been going at it amongst ourselves about trivial things such as vaccine mandates, the gender binary and covid, dictators such as Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping have been amassing forces and calculating plans to expand their empires. The fact that Putin, after pretty much every country excluding China calling on him not to engage, actually invaded Ukraine, highlights the current narcissism of the West.

For some reason, the West seems to believe all countries think and operate like we do. That is very far from the truth. The prosperity of the West has become the greatest chip in our armour, as our society has become very materialistic. Because of this, western leaders such as Joe Biden thought economic sanctions would be enough to prevent Putin from invading Ukraine. As is evident, Putin didn’t care about the sanctions at all. Not every country is solely focussed on the economy, whether you like it or not. Putin will happily trade short economic decline if it means he gets to take Ukraine. When talking about Russia and China, or more accurately, Putin and Xi Jinping (important distinction) these leaders rule on one thing and one thing only, power. These countries aren’t liberal democracies like the West, and we need to stop acting like they are. To put it bluntly, these two men don’t give a damn about their own citizens, international law (or any law and order for that matter), or what other countries are doing. They are selfish bloodthirsty men who only care about power and expanding their sphere of influence. They will go about this pursuit using any means necessary. This is why the West must start putting their big boy shoes on and step up to these bullies.

Another thing this Invasion has highlighted for me is how weak western leaders have become. Let’s call it for what it is. Our leaders don’t have a backbone. They are spineless and they are scared. Talk is cheap. It’s no good saying corny things like, “Russia needs to withdraw” or “prayers out to Ukraine ”. I am definitely an advocate for those cliches, but with all due respect statements like that aren’t going to deter Putin from causing chaos and bloodshed. We aren’t dealing with a normal level headed person here, we are dealing with an absolute tyrant who grins in the face of chaos. Our Leaders have one hundred percent failed the Ukraine. While Ukranian citizens are being slaughtered and terrorized, our leaders sit from afar and conjur up corny statements. Pitiful. I am not necessarily saying the West should declare war, that question is well outside my range of expertise. What I am saying though is that if our leaders were stronger, then this invasion would have been prevented. It is in our absolute best interest to prevent China from invading Taiwan. We need to send a clear message to these brutal dictators, that we will not sit and watch country after country fall to their brutal regimes. That we will stand up to the bully and fight for democracy all over the world. 

I absolutely despise conflict, of any sort. I understand, however, that sometimes conflicts are necessary to avoid further and potentially even bigger conflicts. The West posing sanctions on Russia is a good start, but we must strive to do more. The unfortunate truth is Putin and Xi Jinping relish conflict, they have no problem taking the lives of others and would do it in a heartbeat if the opportunity presented itself. Let’s be honest, our current politicians are too weak willed for situations like this. We need leaders who truly lead from the front, such as what Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been doing in the wake of this invasion. If he wanted to, he could have easily escaped, but he didn’t. He has stayed right in Kyiv and is there fighting with his people, fighting for his country, fighting for democracy. Unflinching in the face of possible annihilation. That is what a true leader is, and what our leaders should strive to be like. He has been truly inspiring. Western leaders need to take note. Our leaders need to stop sparring whoever is on the other end of the political aisle, and start uniting. This is a time for the West to truly come together for a common cause. To leave the hate, discrimination and polarisation currently plauging us behind. To Look out for one another and come together as one. Putin and Xi Jinping are licking their lips looking at the current state of the West. A united West however would send shivers down their spine, there is nothing they fear more than a united West that is all on the same page. A West that is in harmony would send a clear message to these two evil men, that we will not tolerate their actions, and prevent them from doing so using any means necessary. 

I will not sit here watching the World be swallowed up by two greedy, vicious, evil men. We all collectively have a part to play in this. Urge our leaders to take a tougher stance on these two nations. Putin and Xi Jinping are classic bullies, they are fear-mongering us on purpose with threats and ‘consequences’. There is nothing a bully hates more than someone stepping up and taking them on. That is what our leaders must do. Forget taking a diplomatic approach, these two men are pure evil, stand up for what’s right and don’t back down. Citizens can all play a role in this too. Rally around our leaders, unite and come together as one. Let’s put race, religion, gender, sexuality and political preference all aside and rise in harmony for the common good. That will truly petrify Putin and Jinping, and evil will be one step closer from being gone forever.