There will be many who take a realpolitik attitude to Russia’s invasion of a sovereign nation - that Georgia is within its sphere of influence and President Saakashvili behaved recklessly by sending troops into South Ossetia when it was evident that Moscow would use this as an excuse to move against Tbilisi. This does not, however, excuse what is by any measure a blatant and illegal act of aggression against a free nation, little different from the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia exactly 40 years ago, or of the same country by Nazi Germany 70 years ago. It needs to be denounced in such terms in order that the wealthy Russians now to be found all over Europe are made fully aware of the opprobrium in which their country is held.

David Cameron suggested yesterday that one response to Russia’s invasion should be the acceleration of Georgia’s application to join Nato, something other EU countries oppose. On one level, this is a meaningless gesture, since the mutual defence pact would never be triggered if it meant war with Russia. However, it might send a signal to Moscow that it cannot simply breach international law with impunity. Surely, recent European history has taught us the consequences of appeasing the bully.