Well they say a week is a long time in politics – in war, it seems a day is a long time.

No doubt this column will be out of date by the time you read it. Hopefully to the good.

Only last week, I was holding a training meeting on potato agronomy with Ukraine. This week, much weightier matters were on the agenda, like using our machinery to help local roadblock construction.

Turning ploughshares into 'swords', as we had done in reverse in 2005 when ploughing with old missile tractors.There's a rueful Ukrainian story, told by the women around the time of the Maidan revolution: "You have to nag your husband for six months to put up a bathroom shelf, but he and his mates can erect a tank proof barrier in a morning."

We've digging in for victory and helping the refugee influx into our region, whose population has doubled in four days. Food is getting scarce as supply chains are stretched to breaking.

Our crowdfunding https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/help-cpg-ukraine reached it's initial target within 24 hours, but more is needed. It's important to remember the current refugee crisis is on top of the 2m Ukrainians who fled Donbas in the face of Russian aggression in 2014.

Only last month, I was writing that Putin would be foolish to try to invade the whole of Ukraine. How wrong I was, although the brave and strong Ukrainian resistance seems to be intent on proving Putin foolish.

I am very proud of the strength and resilience shown by all Ukrainians, in not only protecting their 30-year-old independence, but in standing for all the values we hold so dear and take for granted.

Schoolchildren the age of my grand-daughters shouldn't be learning at school what to do when the missile sirens sound. They should be skipping and laughing.

Certainly, Putin has underestimated the resilience of both the Ukrainian military so far, but also the unifying effect he has 'gifted' Ukraine and NATO. A country he believes does not exist, but surely does now!

There's no signs of welcome for Russian troops, even in the Russian speaking east as was portrayed in 2014. No signs of Ukrainians fleeing to Russia, only unity. It's important to note that this is largely Putin's war, not of the Russian peoples.

There is no doubt Putin was emboldened by both scenes in Kabul and by perceived disunity caused by Brexit and Trump. As I said in my last column 'much easier to invade than to occupy' and Putin has underestimated the difficulties of a swift light armoured invasion with long brittle supply lines.

Internationally, he has also misjudged, as even his buddy Orban has said 'we need sanctions and unity in a time of war.' A three letter word banned from Russian media.

Unity within Ukraine and a strengthened NATO, EU and a strengthening of the case for both Trident and increased fossil fuel security is the result. Cambo nae more?

Globally, we also need to keep an eye on both the safety of Russian opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, and Taiwan in these turbulent times.

One can only marvel at the iconic video of the old woman, haranguing Russian soldiers face to face, offering them sunflower seeds for their pockets so that 'there would be sunflowers blooming when they laid down to die on our Ukrainian soil'. A real Tiananmen Square moment.

Because of the great famine in the 1930s, the Holodomor – Ukrainian affinity for the land and soil – is intense. President Zelensky has also proved without doubt that a former comedian can not only become a politician, but an impressive leader.

"The fight is here. I don't need a ride, I need ammunition," he said, epitomising national resolve.

All options for Putin are now bad, whether unlikely withdrawal, doubling down and causing large civilian casualties even using nuclear weapons, or a long protracted and costly, in many terms, military occupation beset by partisans. New tougher sanctions are to be welcomed to concentrate minds for diplomatic overtures.

I have been immensely impressed by our local farming team on the ground in the west of Ukraine, in Lviv. Shocked by events, they have still demonstrated not only a professional attitude, to our business but also a proud patriotic fervour.

A fervour not only to protect their country, but to help their countrymen fleeing to the west. Hence, the setting up of our crowdfunding initiative to help communities and refugees in Western Ukraine.

We have offered our machinery and drivers to local defence militia and they are helping build defensive structures. Each village has roadblocks and armed militia checking papers to pick out saboteurs.

That said, we are committed to our business here in the good Ukrainian soil. The fundamentals are still strong. Our plans currently are to continue with our spring planting programme as much as we can.

Food will always be needed and since 2014, I have emphasised the patriotic importance of food production to Ukraine to our staff. There is no doubt that further global fuel, energy and fertiliser price rises will result from this war.

This comes on top of prices and shortages already in play and an already tight global supply and demand cereal situation. This will lead to further spikes in output prices and not only for cereals.

The case and need for an independent energy security policy has never clearer. This needs to be broad-based, as renewables simply do not cut it for our current or foreseeable needs.

Military capabilities and unity within Europe also need review and strengthening. Only last November, Tobias Elwood, the excellent chairman of the UK Defence Select Committee, challenged the idea that 'there will be no more tank battles in Europe' with the statement 'you cannot occupy ground with AI.'

Ukraine is critically important to global food production as a major exporter of wheat and sunflower oil. All exports exit from the Black Sea, or Sea of Azov, through ports such as Odessa, Mariupol and Mykoliav. All of those are under threat.

I recall the last time Russia and Ukraine closed wheat exports in 2010 due to drought. This led to a huge bread wheat price spike and was a major factor in the Arab Spring uprising.

Egypt and Indonesia remain the world's largest wheat importers and this is a global problem. Ukraine is not just important for wheat, but the biggest exporter of sunflower oil and second largest for barley.

It is also has the first or second European reserves for many minerals such as uranium, titanium, manganese and mercury, and the largest global iron ore reserves. By total value, Ukraine is the fourth richest country in terms of natural resources, despite having no oil or gas reserves.

Anyone who thinks this is a solely a 'local' problem at the furthest outreaches of Europe is mistaken. It is and will affect us all.

There is an even more important reason that Ukraine is critical in these historic times. Ukrainians are not just defending their national independence and desire for self determination in Europe, but also the values we all hold so dear.

They deserve and need all of our support in these tragic times.

PANEL:

How you can help

We in CPG who farm in Ukraine have set up a fundraising page to help support local communities and refugees in Lviv and Western Ukraine. If you wish to support us, I can assure you that our excellent local team on the ground will ensure it is used well. Ukrainians are not just fighting hard and strongly to save their country but for all the values we hold dear.

The link is: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/help-cpg-ukraine