As of writing this, the date is 11/12/2025.

The illegal expansionist Russian invasion of Ukraine has now reached its 11th year, with the firing shot taking place all the way back in 2014, with the unlawful annexation of Crimea and the Donbas Region, followed by several years of empty threats from Russia, whilst occupied Ukrainians suffered under Russian rule. 

Ukraine’s forces, while still strong in spirit, are beginning to be pushed back by invading Russian troops, due to several factors.

North Korean troops have been deployed, in aid of Russia, to assist in the illegal expansionist invasion. The Kremlin has previously brought in Russian mercenaries and Syrian fighters to bulk up its numbers against defending Ukrainian forces, along with troops pulled from Russian-occupied lands, including South Ossetia, Transnistria, and Abkhazia. It is currently recruiting fighters from Iran.

America’s support for Ukraine has recently faltered, with President Trump supporting a peace plan that was all but engineered by the Kremlin, including capping the size of the Ukrainian military and preventing Ukraine from joining NATO, with the recognition of Crimea, Luhansk and Donetsk by Ukraine as ‘de facto Russian’; following the unveiling of this ‘peace plan’, Ukraine, understandably, rejected it, seeking a new plan that would not involve ceding territory to an invading country.

I can only wonder how Cold War Republicans would react knowing the country they saw as the bastion of democracy against the totalitarian Soviet Union is now aligning so closely with its successor, in the fight against liberal democracy. They would no doubt be asking, “Have you forgotten everything we learnt from the 20th century?” While I oppose economic liberalism to the extent we saw it under Reagan, his philosophy of “peace through strength” is something I subscribe to. Strength is the most significant deterrent against those who wish to undermine international law. There is a reason why Russia has yet to attack a NATO-member nation directly militarily; to do so would end in inevitable defeat.

And so we must confront, without euphemism or hesitation, the new neo-isolationism taking root across the pond. It dresses itself in the language of caution, but amounts to little more than a slow surrender to authoritarian power. Liberals can now allow this retreat to go unchallenged. If we do not raise our voices for Ukraine, if we avert our gaze in the hope that Russian aggression will exhaust itself, then we will have betrayed the very principles we claim to defend.

Our collective action and unwavering support can make a difference; history shows that united global solidarity can turn the tide against tyranny. We must prove it wrong. Let us stand where past defenders of liberty once stood; steadfast with our allies, resolute in purpose, and unafraid to call tyranny by its name. For if liberal democracy is to endure, it will be because free societies refused to look away, refused to surrender their moral clarity, and stood alongside Ukraine not as an act of charity, but of solidarity. This is the moment to speak, to act, and to make clear that Ukraine does not stand alone.

* Jack Meredith is a member of the Welsh Liberal Democrats and an active campaigner and canvasser with Swansea and Gower Liberal Democrats. His writing focuses on democratic reform, social justice, trade unionism, economic democracy, and the institutional foundations of effective government. He has written for the Fabians, Lib Dem Voice, Liberator, Nation Cymru, Bylines Cymru, and Centre Think Tank.