Sir, – In response to my letter about Ukraine, Roland Evans (March 6th) states that "Nato has changed its functions and is not aimed at encircling Russia". However, I read on your front page ("Nato and EU pledge to intensify pressure on Moscow", March 6th) that "the Pentagon was stepping up flight training with the Polish airforce and the US role in Nato air patrols over the ex-Soviet Baltic states". They haven't gone away, you know. I am not an apologist for Russian imperialism. I'm just one of the hundred thousand who marched in Dublin, and the million more who marched in London, against the invasion of Iraq.
Military “intervention” in other people’s countries is a savage and outdated method of managing international relations, and demonising foreign governments is one of the bad habits which encourages this aberrant behaviour. Mr Putin is not a good man but neither is he a stupid one. The way to deal with him is to do a deal. The most urgent question is how to stop Ukraine falling apart in a catastrophic civil war. They will need all their neighbours to help, with negotiations not armaments, if the cataclysm is to be avoided. – Yours, etc,
ARTHUR DEENY,
Rock Road,
Blackrock,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – For a brief moment, reading your "Kerry condemns Russian aggression" headline (March 5th), I thought the Skibbereen Eagle had been revived. – Yours, etc,
PETER MOLLOY,
Haddington Park,
Glenageary,
Co Dublin.