ONE clear message above all others must come out of the Munich Security Conference.
As we approach the first anniversary of Russia’s brutal invasion, Vladimir Putin must be left in no doubt that the West is united and that it will stick by Ukraine to the bitter end.
As Rishi Sunak goes in with all guns blazing, demanding our allies give Ukraine more weapons, a battle is raging at home over our own defence spending[/caption]
The West must send clear message of unity to Putin[/caption]
Nato stood back and watched as the Russian tyrant annexed Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula nine years ago.
It cannot afford for the homicidal maniac to taste anything other than abject defeat now.
But even as Rishi Sunak goes in with all guns blazing, demanding our allies give Ukraine more weapons, a battle is raging at home over our own defence spending.
We can be rightly proud of our huge contribution to the Ukrainian war effort, from the supply of heavy artillery to the promised delivery of Challenger tanks.
But generals warn that, in terms of our own Armed Forces, we have only got enough ammo for an afternoon of war with Russia, if it came to that.
It’s not just about Ukraine’s sovereignty, as the PM recognises.
With nations like Russia, China, Iran and North Korea becoming increasingly hostile, the global cold war is warming up alarmingly.
Rishi’s bold words in Munich are laudable, and he has already proved himself a steadfast friend to President Zelensky.
But they must be coupled with increased defence spending at home, no matter how strongly Treasury beancounters resist.
Fuel to fire
TWO in every three Sun readers are struggling to pay for vehicle fuel or their transport needs, according to our latest cost-of-living tracker.
It’s a grim situation and set to get worse in April when the scheduled end of the 5p cut in fuel duty and the effects of inflation would bring a 12p rise in a litre of petrol.
It hangs over motorists like a guillotine and could sound the death knell for many small businesses.
Hard-working Britons are ready to graft their way out of the current doldrums — but Chancellor Jeremy Hunt must turbo-charge their efforts by slashing fuel duty in his Budget.
Good riddance
FINALLY, gang rapist Yaqub Ahmed is being kicked out of this country.
Holidaymakers who misguidedly prevented his deportation in 2018 when they demanded he be taken off their flight were unaware of his vile crime.
But the lawyers who fought to stop his removal would certainly have known how he and three other thugs took it in turns to attack a 16-year-old girl who had got lost in central London.
What a miserable thought.
