RECENTLY, French President Emmanuel Macron visited Russia to meet President Vladimir Putin. Ahead of his trip, the Times reported Macron as saying that “the geopolitical goal of Russia today is clearly not Ukraine but to clarify the rules of cohabitation with Nato and the EU.”

What a contrast with Britain’s Foreign Secretary Liz Truss who, on the same day and using the rhetoric of war, stated that “the depths of Russian attempts to subvert and threaten Ukraine are clear. Russia’s actions show their claims to have no plans to invade are false. We and our allies stand united in support for Ukraine and our resolve to raise the cost to Russia if they take further action.”

The belligerence of Truss echoes and mimics that of US imperialism which continues to ratchet up the tension and is pouring vast quantities of arms and military forces into Ukraine, Poland and the Baltic states.