What’s Vladimir Putin’s end goal? (Picture: Sergi Savostyanov/AFP via Getty)
What drives Russia’s invasion of Ukraine? In today’s MetroTalk, a reader suggests Vladimir Putin’s objectives stretch far beyond Ukraine’s borders.
Readers also weigh in on chef, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s call to tackle our obesity crisis. But, is the cost-of-living crisis causing us to eat more junk?
Additionally, scrutiny mounts over the mixed response to racist remarks made towards MP Diane Abbott, leaving readers to question where Rishi Sunak really stands. And, the woes of using TfL, from fare dodgers to aggressive passengers.
Share what you think about these topics in the comments.
Why did Russia forfeit a friendship that was beneficial?
Why did Russia invade Ukraine? The Cold War ended 30-odd years ago and, since then, relations between Russia and Europe were largely growing more cordial.
Mutually beneficial trade was booming, our economies were doing well, and we were all enjoying cheap energy and food.
The relationship had grown to such an extent that Nato was seen by most European leaders as obsolete, a relic of the Cold War. A less provocative European Defence Force was seen as an answer.
Russia and Vladimir Putin are hardly irrational and must have had – in their eyes, at least – a reason to invade Ukraine, knowing they would obviously forfeit the friendship and all the beneficial gains made over a very long period.
I don’t know the reason they invaded and I’m rather hoping your readers might. Tom Palin, Southport
‘Ukraine isn’t the end of the road, sadly.’
James Byrnes (MetroTalk, Wed) says Pope Francis was right to call for peace in Ukraine because Russia has achieved what it set out to do, in ‘liberating’ the Russian-speaking areas in Donbas etc.
I must disagree with his assessment. The idea that Vladimir Putin is ‘liberating’ Russian speakers is propaganda.
The war is about Russia trying to reach geographical barriers, mainly in Poland, Romania and Turkey.
It is seeking to extend outwards so that it will be able to prevent attacks and secure resources.
Russians believe the war is about their future security and that’s why it’s popular there.
Ukraine, sadly, is not the end of the road but part of the continuing Russian strategy, which started immediately after the collapse of the USSR, of pushing outwards until they reach the sea or mountains. They won’t stop until this has finally been achieved.
If Ukraine falls, then Moldova, Poland etc will be attacked in the future. William Larkin, Princes Risborough
Do Hamas and Israel care if we protest?
Thank you, Dave (MetroTalk, Wed). Finally someone states the obvious. Neither Hamas nor Israel care that people here in the UK protest, yet it costs us millions to police them and we could definitely use that money to tackle issues we are facing.
World leaders have been urging both sides for a ceasefire for ages and it fails every single time because Hamas won’t release the hostages. Until this happens, there is no point to keep pushing for it. Daniela, London
Is it as easy as telling people to eat healthily and exercise? (Photo by Hugh R Hastings/Getty Images)
Are we comfort eating?
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has challenged health secretary Victoria Atkins to present an anti-obesity ‘strategy’ (Metro, Mon). Hugh is a good publicist for healthy eating but the economic crisis piles pressure on people so they seek out unhealthy food for comfort, leading to weight gain that is hard to lose. Telling people to eat healthily and exercise is easy but life problems are the cause of obesity. Zoe, London
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If these comments aren’t racist, what is?
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So, £10million Conservative Party donor Frank Hester allegedly says he wanted Diane Abbott ‘shot’ and that she made him ‘hate all black women’ (Metro, Wed).
No.10 initially declined to describe the remarks as racist. It has since. But a few weeks ago, Rishi Sunak was outside Downing Street calling out hatred and antisemitism in the wake of George Galloway being voted in as Rochdale MP.
All Sunak’s party has done is create culture wars, attacking anything Islamic and of the ‘woke’ ideology, throwing red meat to the far right and attacking immigrants.
Its MPs Suella Braverman and Lee Anderson (now a member of Reform) attacked London mayor Sadiq Khan and, again, Sunak was late in calling it out.
All Rishi does is pander to certain factions of society. He is pathetic. Joyce Wokoh, Tottenham
Fare-dodging and rudeness, like the cost of my ticket, is on the up
Do fare dodgers get on your nerves? (Credits: Getty Images)
It may not be the most pressing issue we face in this current climate but what is really being done to combat fare dodgers?
In the morning and again on my way home from work on Tuesday, two men followed me through the gate at London Bridge Tube after I had tapped my card.
It may not bother many but when fares are increasing and many are struggling with living costs, myself included, this doesn’t seem fair to be paying for others.
I’ve seen young boys and grown men just push through a closed gate at the station to avoid paying, setting off the alarm and nothing is done. Imagine we all joined them and got a free day of travel for ourselves!
As much as anything, this leaves me feeling uncomfortable with a stranger that close in my personal space. Alison, London
We are all advised to use public transport rather than cars but what is London mayor Sadiq Khan doing to make it safe for people to use?
My 70-year-old dad went to a football match with his grandson at the weekend.
As there were no seats available, he asked a man politely to move his bag from the chair so he could sit down, only for this very friendly, well-mannered man to threaten to punch my dad! What a lovely world we live in. Natalie, London
Milch from Chigwell (MetroTalk, Mon) writes to complain about ULEZ.
But why should the one-third of London households that don’t even own a car face a wall of diesel every time they open the front door? Ed Baxter, West London
Should England drop 41-year-old pace bowler Jimmy Anderson? Yes, says your columnist Derek Pringle (MetroSport, Tue), who says ‘it’s not whether Anderson is better than so-and-so, it is whether his own game has diminished from its peak’.
That is illogical. If Anderson now is better than others now, that is indeed what matters, even if he’s not as good as Anderson was then. Paul Carey, Kent
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