SIR - Merkel of Germany is leading a coalition, or should I say clique, of 12 EU member countries, including Sarkozy's France, to bar pro-Western Georgia and Ukraine from joining NATO, an organisation that has defended Western Europe far more than the EU will ever do.

It will destroy it! And all to mollify tyrannical Russia, which treats its former colonies like dirt. Of course, they and we - France less so - need Russia's gas.

All another stark reason for our a) leaving the Union and b) speeding up the building of nuclear power plants. Let's hope the House of Lords rescues us.

Philip Bird, Nab Wood Terrace, Shipley