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

Currently is a profoundly sad working day. Russia’s intense motion is heartbreaking for the dying, struggling, and financial turmoil it will trigger in Ukraine and, indirectly at least, beyond. Here at Rick Steves’ Europe, we hope that a diplomatic remedy can be uncovered and peace will return to that fragile and long-suffering portion of our earth.

Our mission at RSE is to assist Individuals better know and have an understanding of our neighbors via vacation. But when we bring travelers to an additional nation, we also carry their pounds — dollars that would aid Putin’s aggression. Thus, as of now, we have canceled all 2022 tours that include a prevent in Russia.

Of class, we will keep a close eye on unfolding functions and monitor any vacation impacts by the relaxation of Europe. But it is critical to keep geographic realities in head and bear in mind that a war in Ukraine is as much from our European getaway desires as a war in Guatemala would be from Texas or Florida. For 40 yrs now, we have lived, worked, and traveled via many intervals of tragic warfare in lands considerably from the place we direct our tours (and some nearer). And at this time, we see no cause to adjust the relaxation of our travel and touring ideas.

The tragic truth 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 far more engaged citizens of our entire world. I’m traveling to Europe following month for a 40-working day trip by a dozen excellent metropolitan areas from London to Athens — and I’m happy that thousands of my fellow tourists will knowledge the European excursion of their desires while getting wealthy learning experiences considerably from household on a 2022 Rick Steves tour.

In the meantime, let’s be thankful for our blessings, aid our nation’s leaders as they do their best to navigate this disaster, and retain the troubled corners of our planet (Ukraine, Russia, Afghanistan, and more) in our thoughts and prayers.

—Rick