The news cycle is constantly moving. What was making headlines six months ago is vastly different to what is making headlines today.

Back in February, the recovery from the Covid19 pandemic dominated the headlines, until Russia suddenly opened fire on and invaded Ukraine. The war dominated the news cycle for weeks and weeks until the news cycle did as it does and largely moved on, and so did people’s interests.

Now, people are more worried about the impacts of inflation – an issue of course spurred on by the war in Ukraine – particularly as Russia continues to make it difficult for grain to leave Ukraine and as Russia tightens the belt on most of Europe’s energy supply.

Of course, these worries are well-founded. The current climate is such that prices are rising almost weekly, and modern day salaries – which were already barely enough to cope with things, at least in Malta – are not rising to make up for it. The strain is forcing more and more people to cut back on their spending, or not manage to live a decent life at all.

However, in and amongst all this, we cannot forget about the Ukrainian people, and we certainly cannot blame them for problems such as inflation or ask them to compromise in how the war is going so that they can make our wallets a bit heavier.

For while we have had to cope with increases in prices in most, if not all, of the things we buy on a daily basis, the Ukrainian people have had to cope with a lot more. They’ve had to cope with their own product shortage, they’ve had to cope with having their lives turned upside down. Mothers have had to see their husbands and sons go to war, families have lived with the risk of losing the roof over their heads. All Ukrainians have had to cope with the ever-present risk that this day could be their last, with Russian missile strikes ever a possibility.

That’s why we would be doing them a disservice in suggesting that Ukrainians should reach a compromise with Russia – a ceasefire which establishes the borders where they are. Any such compromise will be temporary. Russia will be back sooner or later: they have made it clear that they have no intention of stopping before all of Ukraine comes under their control.

And after Ukraine, who knows who will be next. So, let’s not forget about Ukraine and about the struggles of the Ukrainian people. Their struggle is, as Europeans, our struggle. By forgetting or accepting the war, we will have played into the hands of the rabid dictator that is Vladimir Putin.

This is a war in Europe, and bowing down to an aggressor is not something which can ever be done. Not now, not ever.