THE RUSSIAN PRESIDENT PUTIN AND UKRAINE’S PRESIDENT ZELENSKY
DOUBLE STANDARDS
UKRAIANIAN REFUGEES ARE WELCOME AND REFUGEES FROM THE MIDDLE EAST ARE PUSHBACKED
BY POLISH BORDER GUARDS
CARTOON ABOVE FROM SEM JANSSEN
THE RUSSIAN INVASION IN UKRAINE, PUTIN, WARCRIMES AND
THE EU HYPOCRISY
READERS!
Underlying my Letter to the Editor about the Russian invasion in Ukraine.
As you know, I sent a similar Letter to the Editor to several European [includingRussian newspapers!] and international newspapers before. [1]
Now you’ll read my adapted [to new actualities] Letter to the Editor, which I sent to several African, Chinese, Indian and other newspapers.
ENJOY!
ASTRID ESSED
[1]
SENT BEFORE:
THE RUSSIAN INVASION IN UKRAINE/PUTIN AND THE
EU HYPOCRISY
ASTRID ESSED
NEW VERSION
THE RUSSIAN INVASION IN UKRAINE/PUTIN, WARCRIMES AND
THE EU HYPOCRISYLETTER TO THE EDITOR
Dear Editor,
As most people, who have a fundamental respect for International Law,I condemn the Russian attack on the Ukraine as a violationof the sovereignty.Therefore international condemnations, like those of the United NationsGeneral Assembly, the USA and the European Union, are the right thing to do.The Russian army also bombed with internationally forbidden clustermunitions,which by the way the US and Great Britian also did in Iraq and Afghanistan.In both cases-The Russian and the USA-it costed civilian deaths, which makes it a warcrime.
However there are more sides on this case, among else the EU hypocrisy regarding the Ukrainian tragedy.But firstly the EU economic sanctions against Russia::They go too far, sincethe common Russian man and woman, who have nothing to do withPutin’s war policies, are suffering from them.That’s close to a collective punishment and not fair at all!Even more dangerous is the fact, that different EU countries are sendingall sort of military weaponry to the Ukraine, since it is provoking Russia and brings a major war closer and closer.Very irresponsible, because Putin’s first reaction on those EU sanctions-to order his nuclear forces on high alert-is no joke.
He also can decide to turn off the gas tap to Europe, with desastrousconsequences.
Therefore EU should stop putting peace at risk by such cowboylike behaviour.
But there is more:Because with all those seemingly sympathetic EU actions, aiming toexpress ”solidarity” with the Ukrainian people, the EU is full of hypocrisy:
Because, when the USA and the EU really respected International Law,as they claim to do in the Ukraine case, why they never sanctioned Israel,that is a champion in violating International Law with its illegaloccupation of the Palestinian territories and their illegal settlement policy?
And to stay closer at the USA and EU:
What about their own violations of International Law, like the thenBritish-American invasion of Iraq, which was contrary with International Law?And perhaps the most bitter part of all:
The refugee issue:
While EU countries are doing everything they can to help Ukrainianrefugees-which is the right thing to do-last year, Afghan, Iraqi and Syrian refugees, who were trapped between the border of Belarus and Poland,were brutally attacked and pushbacked by Polish military guards, sometimes shooted at and abandoned in the wintercold to die there.
With the blessing of the EU, that supported Poland in ”defending it’s borders”The same Poland, that welcomes Ukrainian refugees, is on this very momentbuilding a Wall to prevent refugees from the Middle East to enter it’s border.Inhumane and also contrary with International Law!
So very good, that the EU/USA combination [united in the NATO] is condemning the Russian invasion in Ukraine, but EU, stop provoking Russia by sending weaponry to the Ukraine and treat the remaining or future refugees fromthe Middle East as humane as now the Urkrainian refugees.
Otherwise the EU is sinning against their own EU Treaties!’
Astrid Essed
Amsterdam
The Netherlands