Final Word from Monday, February 28, 2022
Russia is the aggressor, and Ukraine is the victim, but Ukraine is fighting this war for us too, as Ukrainian officials repeatedly state. In this sense it is a proxy war, with Ukraine left alone to fight. Nato is helping, though, and it is being increasingly vocal in letting this be known. Yesterday it published a list of all the Allies who "already sent or are approving significant deliveries of military equipment." Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that he welcomes the way Allies are providing additional military equipment. EU Commission Pres. Ursula von der Leyen made a similar announcement, but she left out specific country names. Vladimir Putin, who had warned other countries not to interfere, then put his nuclear forces on high alert. Czech Defense Min. Jana Černochová told MFD that she fears that Putin is indeed capable of using nuclear weapons. So why are Nato and the EU openly taunting him? Why aren't the arms deliveries secret, or at least not thrown in Putin's face? [ Czech Republic Russia European Union United States ODS ]
Glossary of difficult words
to taunt - to utter remarks meant to anger, wound or provoke someone;
proxy war - a war fought between groups or smaller countries, each of which represents the interests of other larger powers, and which may have help and support from these;
to throw something in someone's face - to use information or evidence to confront or rebuke someone.