Thoughts on Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine – Rick Steves’ Travel Blog

 

Now is a profoundly unfortunate day. Russia’s aggressive motion is heartbreaking for the loss of life, suffering, and financial turmoil it will trigger in Ukraine and, indirectly at the very least, beyond. Listed here at Rick Steves’ Europe, we hope that a diplomatic option can be located and peace will return to that fragile and extensive-suffering section of our environment.

Our mission at RSE is to enable People in america much better know and comprehend our neighbors by means of journey. But when we convey tourists to yet another nation, we also bring their bucks — bucks that would assist Putin’s aggression. Thus, as of now, we have canceled all 2022 excursions that include things like a prevent in Russia.

Of study course, we will preserve a near eye on unfolding occasions and observe any journey impacts by the relaxation of Europe. But it is essential to hold geographic realities in head and bear in mind that a war in Ukraine is as considerably from our European trip desires as a war in Guatemala would be from Texas or Florida. For 40 many years now, we have lived, labored, and traveled via numerous intervals of tragic warfare in lands significantly from the place we guide our tours (and some closer). And at this time, we see no purpose to alter the relaxation of our vacation and touring ideas.

The tragic truth unfolding in Ukraine only reminds me how important it is for People to retain on touring and to do so in a way that helps make us much better and far more engaged citizens of our world. I’m flying to Europe future thirty day period for a 40-working day vacation by a dozen good metropolitan areas from London to Athens — and I’m happy that 1000’s of my fellow travelers will knowledge the European journey of their goals even though having abundant learning ordeals far from house on a 2022 Rick Steves tour.

In the meantime, let us be grateful for our blessings, support our nation’s leaders as they do their best to navigate this disaster, and hold the troubled corners of our earth (Ukraine, Russia, Afghanistan, and more) in our feelings and prayers.

—Rick