WOULD Christian Vassie concede (The Press, April 23) that, without the overthrow of a democratically elected government in Kiev, the situation we see now in eastern Ukraine would not exist?

Would he also allow that the uprising in Kiev was encouraged and abetted by the West and, most significantly by the European Union?

From Hilary Clinton to the over-promoted Baroness Ashton, the rioters in Kiev, some of whom are of dubious political affiliation, were incited to revolution with the prospect of closer ties to and eventual membership of the EU, regardless of the sensibilities of Russia.

The trouble with western politicians is that they are lacking in foresight, despite numerous examples of what these uprisings can lead to. Witness the Arab Spring which Cameron, Obama and the EU were so enthusiastic about.

We hear nothing now about Libya and Egypt, both of which are in turmoil, and arguably in a worse state than they were under the previous regimes.

The western world deserves better leadership and the less influence the EU has on these matters the better.

At the moment Putin is running rings round us and the tragedy is that we handed him this situation on a plate.

Isobel McCloud, Huntington Road, York.