A response to Evgeny Lebedev

Rather than be an apologist for the Kremlin, you should recognise Putin is now a pariah

'Vladimir Putin, with his actions in Crimea, Ukraine and Syria has made himself a pariah whose only friends are his fellow authoritarian dictators and despots' (Reuters)

Dear Mr Lebedev,

We have read with interest your article in The Independent.

Since when have you become an apologist for the Kremlin? You write that, "Britain must make Vladimir Putin an ally in the disaster that is Syria," to which we can only say "Shame on you for using the pages of your British newspaper for the peddling of Russian propaganda."

We agree that British foreign policy has lacked focus in recent years, has lacked moral fibre, and that British politicians and diplomats seem more concerned about doing a deal than doing what is right. But it is another matter entirely to see that as a reason for allying Great Britain with the current Russian government.

You speak about “Russia’s standing on the world stage” as if that is something laudable when in fact the Russian president with his actions in Crimea, Ukraine and Syria has made himself a pariah whose only friends are his fellow authoritarian dictators and despots.

You are right when you say that, "I have no doubt that the Kremlin wants to make an ally, not an enemy, of the UK." Yes, but by that apparently you mean an ally in collusion with the bombing of targets that have very little to do with the real enemy that is Isis, and more to do with bombing anybody opposed to Assad, using unguided "dumb bombs" that inflict terrible damage on anyone and everyone, irrespective of their religion or belief, military or civilian; it is enough that they have been branded "the enemy" by Russian state media aping the president.

Unlike you, we will not presume to speak for the British people, but we will say that the repressive and hostile actions of this Russian government are not ones we believe any right-minded British citizen would wish to hold.

You would do better to look at the alternative offered by the Russian opposition, which would indeed make a good ally of Great Britain. Perhaps when you next decide to broadcast a missive from your pulpit, you might give some careful thought to what sort of Russia you really want to see, one that would, presumably, uphold all of the things that you claim to like so much about your second home, and apparently "take for granted: democracy, peace, civilisation."

Sincerely,

Open Russia World