The Russian invasion of Ukraine continues to make breaking news in the world on its 6th day as global anger continues to rise.
Every country disagrees with Putin’s actions. The UK and the EU are two of the main actors who disagree with the invasion and claim that they will protect Ukraine.
According to the latest news, more than 350 civilians and 14 children have been killed in this invasion. As Ukraine suffers, the EU and the UK procrastinate in providing support for this country despite repeated demands of help by President Volodymyr Zelensky in TV interviews and the virtual world.
Ukraine is facing irrecoverable losses. Russian forces have plans to attack Kyiv and have already tried to disrupt TV broadcasts. There is no internet access and people are tolerating a very hard situation. Russia is cutting off Ukrainian communications and access to media.
At least 136 civilians, including 13 children, have been killed since Russia launched its invasion, a spokeswoman for the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) said. High numbers of Ukrainian are taking refuge in mostly neighbouring countries and sanctions are being imposed on Russia.
Boris Johnson Is Taking Advantage of the Ukrainian Crisis
Boris Johnson has taken advantage of the Ukrainian crisis as a way of re-joining the EU. As a leading Brexiteer, he is now bravely defending the EU against the Russian invasion and is exploiting the Ukraine crisis to repair relations with the union and restore power to the UK on the Continent. Boris Johnson is, in fact, trying to help Ukraine for the sake of proving himself in the region and President Volodymyr Zelensky has been thankful to him for his efforts in helping Ukraine. As such, the Ukraine war has provided Johnson with a good opportunity to attain his goals and redeem his status.
As prime minister, Johnson lost his reputation among the people and his government after Partygate. Presently, he is looking for chances to prove that although he has committed mistakes, he is really thinking about everything and is worried about his country.
Britain Wants to Protect Northern Ireland
The UK has announced that it will do everything in his power to protect Ireland by overturning a bad situation.
His goals include:
- Urging the EU to be creative and resolve the post-Brexit disputes
- Overhauling the deal governing UK-N Ireland trade
- Convincing EU who is open to solutions but not renogtiating
Britain has said that it would do everything in its power to keep the peace in Northern Ireland, including improved relations with the EU and the Brexit agreement.
London and Brussels have been trying for months to break a deadlock over the agreement, which in effect created a customs border in the sea between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom to preserve the province’s open land border with Ireland as a member of the EU.
Britain wants a full overhaul of the agreement and has hinted at the possibility of unilaterally suspending part of it if no new deal can be reached with the EU, while the EU is looking for changes within the terms of the existing deal.
“We will continue to talk with the EU but we will not let that stand in the way of protecting peace and stability in Northern Ireland “, said a British briefing document published on Tuesday to accompany the government’s new legislative agenda.
“We urge our partners in the EU to work with us, with new imagination and flexibility, to deliver that.”
DUP Threat for Northern Ireland Protocol Reformation
The DUP wants fundamental changes to the NI Protocol and argues that it undermines the Good Friday peace agreement.
Also, DUP has threatened that if there is no progress in the Northern Ireland Protocol and the sea border between Britain and Northern Ireland remains, it will not support the formation of Sinn Fein.
The Northern Ireland Protocol is aimed at avoiding a hard border between the two Irelands and allow trade with the UK as a non-EU member without breaking EU rules. But the DUP is not happy about this border between Britain and Northern Ireland.
So what are the problems faced by the Northern Ireland protocol?
NI is no longer part of the EU VAT margin scheme. This means that those selling second-hand goods in NI sourced from GB may have to pay more VAT, which could increase prices.
This issue has particularly affected the second-hand car market in NI, which relies heavily on vehicles sourced from GB. Online firms have also faced separate difficulties with the new VAT arrangements.
But there is a long list of reasons why the DUP disagrees with the sea border between Northern Ireland and Britain as this has a number of disadvantages for Ireland.
“People in Northern Ireland are facing increased costs and reduced consumer choices. With 20% of all EU checks taking place in the Irish Sea, these trade barriers are costing Northern Ireland £2.5 million each and every day.”
The Protocol was sold on the basis of promoting peace and stability, yet there is no cross-community support and it undermines a key foundation on which political progress was built.
The Assembly and Executive were restored on the basis of a clear promise that Northern Ireland’s place within the UK internal market would be restored.
Whilst trade barriers between Great Britain and Northern Ireland remain, that promise has not been fulfilled and devolution is undermined.
No one who supported leaving the European Union did so on the basis of driving a wedge between constituent parts of the UK.
Whilst the Irish Sea border exists, Brexit has not been delivered. The Protocol also locks the UK Government into endless rounds of negotiations with the European Union, especially as rules diverge and change over time.
The union has been shielded to some degree from the full devastation of the protocol through a temporary grace period. Whilst agreement between the UK and the EU to intensify talks is welcome, a timetable for progress needs to be set out. With the government happy to talk about the union, the words need to be backed up by action.
Conclusion
Britain wants to abuse the Northern Ireland Protocol and save the Unionists in Northern Ireland.
Boris Johnson is going to travel to Belfast as tensions mount over the Northern Ireland Protocol in the hope of finding a solution to defuse the post-Brexit situation. The agreement was concluded last year to prevent a hard border in Ireland as an important part of the UK and the EU.
The UK Government suggested changes to the protocol last year and asked for flexibility in different areas, such as food products, animal health, plants, and drugs.
Britain is now trying to take advantage of the Ukraine war in the Northern Ireland Protocol story and is just thinking about its own interests. It wants to use the war as a way to apply pressure on the EU and reaching its own goals.
