Letters: We shouldn’t look down on those who attend AA

End the war

Sir: Timothy Garton Ash’s article on Ukraine evokes echoes of the first world war, with interviews of brave soldiers who have lost limbs in Russian minefields (‘Europe’s problem’, 21 October). He acknowledges that Ukraine’s losses have been huge, yet supports bullish calls for the war to continue ‘for years, or even decades’.

The big lesson we should take is that Ukraine’s offensive has been a dismal failure. Large quantities of western hardware lie burnt out on Ukraine’s steppes. The Russians are well dug in. They have many more troops than Ukraine, and Vladimir Putin is prepared to sacrifice them if need be. Without direct use of western forces, which would be a dangerous escalation, recovery of all Ukraine’s lost territory is no longer a realistic option.

Continuing support for this war is unlikely to be a winning formula for the candidates in the 2024 US elections, especially as America has other urgent calls for its assistance.