Simon Jenkins, describing his horror at our new prime minister considering whether to allow Ukraine to use British missiles for strikes deep into Russia, is a rare voice of reason in a chorus of relentless escalation (It’s worrying to see the prime minister cheerleading for war. Will Ukraine turn into Starmer’s Iraq?, 15 July). Western leaders across the board seem to have forgotten the promises made to Mikhail Gorbachev more than 30 years ago, assuring him of our commitment to not extend the borders of Nato into the old Soviet bloc.
Since then, we have seen numerous former Soviet states join Nato, leaving Russia encircled to the west, with hostile missiles, troops, tanks and planes now pointing in its direction from its own backyard. Russian discomfort at this situation over the past 20 years has been ignored, and it is my belief that the invasion of Ukraine was entirely due to the fear that Ukraine too would be accepted into the Nato alliance.
