The far-left and far-right are converging on similar talking points regarding post-ceasefire security guarantees for Ukraine. And in a ‘random’ coincidence, those talking points echo Russian propaganda.
Earlier today, I noticed the following Tweet, criticizing the idea of Canada joining our allies in providing security guarantees for Ukraine:
“More of Carney hyping up Canadians for war with Russia.
No one voted for this.”
Of course, I felt compelled to respond:
“This is incorrect. Providing a reassurance force following a ceasefire lowers the risk of a future conflict by raising the costs of future Russian aggression. Those who falsely cast support for Ukraine as ‘warmongering’ are pushing pro-Russia narratives.”
The ‘warmongering’ lie
Russia started the war against Ukraine.
Ukraine didn’t start it.
NATO didn’t start it.
‘The West’ didn’t start it.
Russia started it.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin chose to invade and brutalize Ukraine, and he could choose at any moment to end the war by withdrawing Russian troops from Ukrainian territory.
Putin is the ‘warmonger’ here.
Thus, supporting Ukraine with weapons isn’t ‘warmongering,’ rather it’s about helping Ukraine – the victim – protect itself from Russia – the aggressor.
Similarly, a post-war ‘Reassurance Force’ is anti-war, because it reduces the chances of a future conflict. By raising the costs to Russia of another invasion of Ukraine (because Russia will know it will have to engage in a larger war against countless allied nations if it attacks Ukraine again), Russia will be deterred from doing so. Further, by showing resolve, allied nations will reduce the chances that Russia will try to attack another country in Europe.
Russia knows this, which is why it is trying to spread propaganda narratives in the West to turn people against a reassurance force for Ukraine. Russia wants to be able to regroup and rearm to attack Ukraine again. Russia knows that a reassurance force provided by free nations makes such an attack nearly impossible to undertake. Thus, Russia is trying to convince Western voters to oppose the deployment of a reassurance force, and some on the far-left and far-right are all too happy to aid in Russia’s efforts.
Those of us in the broad middle of the political spectrum, centre-left, centre, and centre-right, must be diligent in pushing back on dishonest Russian propaganda narratives and those who spread them. We can ill afford to have our society divided and undermined by those who are doing the bidding – wittingly or unwittingly – of hostile dictatorships that mean to do us harm.
Spencer Fernando
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