In 1938, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain sought to prevent war by appeasing a rising dictator. Adolph Hitler came to power vowing to restore German greatness.

First to fall was the Rhineland, then Austria. Czechoslovakia was threatened because of its Germanic citizens. Peace in our time it was said.

Sadly it only lasted a few months before all of Moravia and Slovakia were swallowed up.

Poland was next, then Denmark, Norway, Holland, the list goes on.

Appeasement to dictators doesn't work. It only encourages war.

I feel President Donald Trump is doing the same thing. Appeasing Russian President Vladimir Putin will not prevent a wider war, but encourage him. His strong arm tactics against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are more of a personal grudge than a true desire for peace. His unwillingness to get tough with Putin smacks of cowardice.

Putin wants a return to soviet greatness. First demand ethnic Russian territory (ala Rhineland), then annex whole regions (Donbas, Crimea ala Austria.) Then get a cease fire (Munich Pact).

As soon as Trump leaves office, the hounds of war will be released against Europe.

Ukraine isn't a perfect place, but what country is? Are we? If my fellow Republicans don't want to help them, so be it. But please don't help or encourage Putin.

Maybe it's time to stand up.

Gary McKruit, Cabot