Historians will argue forever about the origins of the 2022 Ukrainian war

Talking about it being completely impossible to tell the real left from the real right anymore (or to tell the left-of centre from the right-of-centre, come to that) I listened yesterday to James Delingpole talking to Vanessa Beeley, of Syria fame. 

I have lots and lots of doubts about her and her friend Eva Bartlett, though they clearly passionately believe in their views. I came to the conclusion, after a very great deal of research, that they were right about the people of East Aleppo being pleased when the Syrian army with Russian help got rid of the rebels who were holding East Aleppo. I came to the conclusion that the narrative of the Economist and FT was a pack of untruths. I don't have any view about their views on many other things like the White Helmets.

But I was convinced by something VB said in the talk with James Delingpole, that the Russian intervention in Syria in 2015 (which I welcomed, despite the Russian brutality) was a reaction to what she called the coup in Ukraine in the precious year.

They both think the Russian intervention this year is a response to Banderist atrocities. I don't. 

But then I don't know what happened in Donbass in and after 2014 precisely. It's not easy to find out. The impression I get is that the two enclaves are full of unhappy people who want to be left alone, rather than by people who side with Putin. 


I do think the way America has behaved from 2014 in Ukraine provoked Russia (that's obvious). 

I do not know if things would be different had Nato not been extended eastwards or whether conflict was inevitable between two rival powers with different political values and interests.


Donald Trump warned about the importance of good relations with Russia, and he was right.

“I hope we do have good relations with Russia. I say it loud and clear and I’ve been saying it for years. I think it’s a good thing if we have a great relations with Russia. That’s very important. And, I believe, some day that will happen. It’s a big country, it’s a nuclear country, it’s a country we should get along with, and I think we will eventually get along with Russia.”

He also warned that Germany was controlled by Russia because of the Nord Stream pipelines and that European weakness would lead to Russian aggression.

He also armed Ukraine with lethal weapons, which Obama had not done. He did so in order to let American companies make money.

Had he been re-elected this awful invasion would not have happened. That is certain.