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[/audioplayer]For the first time in many years, the eyes of the world are on Crimea. As Russian troops violated Ukrainian sovereignty, the question swiftly became, ‘What can we do?’ If the answer is ‘not very much’, then we ought at least to consider why that is the case. Part of the answer is our diminished military capabilities and ambitions, the inevitable result of reducing the defence budget. But this week our diplomatic tools seem to have failed us. We urgently need to ask: what has gone wrong?
Intent on being seen to do something, the Prime Minister at first warned that British officials might boycott the Paralympics at Sochi. Then the Foreign Secretary insisted on a meeting of the UN Security Council — a body on which Russia not merely sits, but has a veto.
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