Dear John,
The past few days have been a sobering reminder of how much elections matter. The United States, once a steadfast ally to Ukraine, has suddenly slammed the brakes on vital military aid, leaving a nation under siege to fend for itself. This abrupt shift wasn’t driven by any change on the battlefield but by political calculation in Washington.
In true Trump fashion, the US President has made a series of ludicrous claims about a grave humanitarian crisis. Ukraine started the war, he says, when we all saw Putin invade with our own eyes. Ukraine’s embattled President, Volodymyr Zelensky, according to Trump, is a “dictator.” Russia wants to stop the war, he claims. Not only are these allegations false – the US President is directly parroting Russian propaganda.
It’s a lesson we can’t afford to ignore. Democracy is not a spectator sport, and the consequences of our choices at the ballot box ripple far beyond our own borders. When we take democracy for granted – or assume that things will simply carry on as they are – we risk handing power to those who will squander our values, our alliances, and even our fundamental freedoms.
Here in the UK, we must remember that the decisions our leaders make – who they stand with, what they prioritise, and whether they uphold the principles of democracy – are a direct reflection of the mandates we give them. This is why our political engagement matters, not just in election years, but every single day.
Ukraine’s struggle for freedom is a stark reminder of what’s at stake. On February 22nd, people will gather outside the Russian Embassy in London to mark three years since Putin’s full-scale invasion. While we know not everyone can be there, it will prove an important moment to reflect on the cost of authoritarianism, and the responsibility we all share in defending democracy, both at home and abroad.
Complacency is a luxury we cannot afford. The world is shaped by those who show up, speak out, and refuse to turn away.
