Thoughts on Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine – Rick Steves’ Travel Blog
These days is a profoundly unhappy working day. Russia’s aggressive motion is heartbreaking for the loss of life, struggling, and economic turmoil it will lead to in Ukraine and, indirectly at minimum, outside of. Right here at Rick Steves’ Europe, we hope that a diplomatic solution can be found and peace will return to that fragile and very long-struggling aspect of our world.
Our mission at RSE is to enable Americans superior know and understand our neighbors by way of journey. But when we deliver tourists to a different state, we also bring their bucks — pounds that would assist Putin’s aggression. For that reason, as of these days, we have canceled all 2022 tours that incorporate a prevent in Russia.
Of study course, we will preserve a near eye on unfolding activities and watch any journey impacts by means of the relaxation of Europe. But it is essential to maintain geographic realities in brain and try to remember that a war in Ukraine is as far from our European holiday vacation goals as a war in Guatemala would be from Texas or Florida. For 40 a long time now, we have lived, worked, and traveled through numerous durations of tragic warfare in lands much from wherever we lead our tours (and some nearer). And at this time, we see no reason to improve the relaxation of our travel and touring designs.
The tragic reality unfolding in Ukraine only reminds me how essential it is for People in america to hold on traveling and to do so in a way that makes us far better and a lot more engaged citizens of our earth. I’m traveling to Europe following thirty day period for a 40-day trip via a dozen good cities from London to Athens — and I’m proud that hundreds of my fellow tourists will experience the European vacation of their desires while acquiring abundant finding out ordeals considerably from dwelling on a 2022 Rick Steves tour.
In the meantime, let’s be thankful for our blessings, help our nation’s leaders as they do their most effective to navigate this crisis, and hold the troubled corners of our earth (Ukraine, Russia, Afghanistan, and extra) in our thoughts and prayers.
—Rick