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The Archbishop of Canterbury has been on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme this morning discussing his recent visit to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. He said there must be “no way we force peace” in Ukraine as he warned the West has not “taken on board” that the conflict could drag on for years.

He said that Ukraine is the “victim” and urged the West to show “real resilience” and resist anything similar to the carving up of Czechoslovakia to appease Hitler in 1938.

During a three-day visit to the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, the Archbishop Justin Welby had to take cover in a bomb shelter when air raid warnings were sounded after Russian bombers were reported to have taken off.

Asked what he learned, he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme:

First of all, the need for solidarity and support for Ukraine.

And secondly, that there must be no way in which we force peace on Ukraine or they’re put under pressure. Third, that the need for support is going to be very long term.

Peace is always better than war. But there are times when justice demands that there is the defeat of what we call, the Archbishop of York and I called when it started, an evil invasion. And I don’t regret saying that.

There hasn’t been a single minute of negotiation from the Government with the unions.

I don’t think there is any rational explanation as to why the government (wouldn’t) negotiate, except... perhaps that briefing to the newspapers that the government is quite happy to see industrial action taking place - they assume the public will turn against the unions and back the government. I assume that’s their strategy.

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from The Guardian https://ift.tt/TgFwuJI