Who Cares About Ukraine?
A Simple Solution to the War and a Letter of Apology
[If you’re new here, I cover a wide range of topics and I rarely wade into anything too heavy. I’m breaking that taboo for this post because I have no choice. These thoughts are weighing heavily on my mind and I need to get them out (this was one of my most challenging pieces to write). On a couple of occasions I mention ‘preaching to the converted’ which, I fear, is probably all too true. This post might cut off at a certain point in the email; if so, you can continue reading on the app or website (there is no paywall).
If you’d prefer to read about my personal connection to Ukraine and how I ended up living there, first in 2005 and then in 2010, check out Should You Move to Austria (via Ukraine)? at .Ink]
“War is God’s way of teaching Americans geography.”
Ambrose Bierce? Mark Twain? Jon Stewart?1
I’m no geopolitical expert and I’m not properly qualified to give an opinion – my master’s degree in international relations hardly makes me an expert on realpolitik – but after 13 years in Ukraine, I have strong opinions I need to express. It is, or was (?), the closest thing I have to home.
I am, however, somewhat qualified when it comes to the English language (though even that is debatable). Apologies if I’m being pedantic (once a teacher…), but I must mention punctuation and sentence stress.
The title of this post contains a question mark (?). I could have used an exclamation point (!) or a simple full stop/period (.)
I’m sure some would prefer the title: Who Cares About Ukraine! - with emphasis on Cares — because, let’s face it, many people don’t care anymore. The war has faded from headlines, and this past week’s developments are alarming.
Ukraine is, quite simply, being fucked. (I can’t think of a better way to put it.)
Simply because they had the audacity to resist Russia.
How dare they.
It’s been 3 years since I left Ukraine. Almost 3 years since Russia’s full-scale invasion. 11 years since the Revolution of Dignity in Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square). Nearly 11 years since Russia invaded Crimea and eastern Ukraine.
I wrote many of these words last summer in anger. They say you shouldn’t write an email or make a decision when you’re angry (or hungry). But never mind that. Writing is cathartic.
If I was angry then, I’m angrier now. Or perhaps anger isn’t the right word.
I’m at a loss for the right adjective here: I’m beyond…fed up. Frustrated. Exasperated. Disillusioned. Pissed off. Despondent.
Or we could try nouns: I’m full of anger, confusion, disgust, hatred, sympathy, rage, frustration, discombobulation, anxiety… Does English have a word that encapsulates all these feelings? (Some English teacher I am.)
It’s a cruel, brutal world, and Russia is getting away with it. Is there any justice?
It’s heartbreaking.
What right do I have to feel this way? I’m not Ukrainian. It’s easy for me to shout from the cosy confines of Vienna. If you find my words harsh, they are nothing compared to what Ukrainians are experiencing.
But guilt nags at me, as it does for many. As writer and filmmaker Iryna Tsilyk puts it:
“Each of us finds something to be guilty about…Those who left the country feel guilty for those who have stayed. Those who have stayed but live in the rear feel guilty for the military. The military have their own guilt – they feel guilty for their brothers and sisters who have had different levels of experience.”2
Have We Learnt Nothing from History?
We study history to avoid repeating mistakes, or so they say. Everyone knows that overused and clichéd George Santayana quotation: “Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it.” Maybe you also know Günter Grass’s version: “History is like a clogged toilet. You flush and flush and the shit keeps on rising.”
Humanity will never learn.
Author Morgan Housel, in Same as Ever, puts it bluntly:
“A country determined to expand by acquiring more land is unlikely to be run by a person capable of saying, ‘OK, that’s enough. Let’s be thankful for what we have and stop invading other countries.’ They’ll keep pushing until they meet their match.” Novelist Stefan Zweig says, ‘History reveals no instances of a conqueror being surfeited by conquests.’” (My emphasis.)
“Never again!” people cry. “How could we have allowed this to happen?”
We’ve heard it before – about the Holodomor, the Holocaust, Rwanda, the Balkans... And yet, here we are again. (And there are countless conflicts, unspeakable tragedies going on where you might not even realise it or care…Sudan, DR Congo, Haiti, Gaza…)3
KISS: Keep it Simple, Stupid
Are you familiar with Occam’s Razor? The simplest explanation is usually the best.
There is a simple solution to end this war: Russia leaves Ukraine.
That’s it. Plain English. Russia started this war. They can end it.
HOW FUCKING HARD IS THAT TO ACCEPT?!?!?!?!
The Betrayal of Ukraine
What about the Budapest Memorandum of 1994? This was the agreement in which Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons in exchange for security assurances from Russia, the US, and the UK to respect its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
That’s right: sovereignty and territorial integrity.
(For more on Ukraine’s betrayal, read this excellent and succinct post from
at A Personal War: Does Ukraine feel betrayed by the West?)On the Plain English podcast (highly recommended), Derek Thompson takes complex issues and boils them down into, well, plain English. Borrowing from that approach (thanks, Derek), I’ll do the same here.4
What’s Happening Right Now
The US and Russia are negotiating without Ukraine, treating the war as a business transaction or a real estate deal (surprise, surprise). Trump has outright blamed Ukraine for the war, saying they could have traded land for peace from the start:
“Ukraine should never have started this war.”
“Ukraine has allowed this war to go on for three years.”
“Zelenskyy had three years to make a deal.”
“Zelenskyy’s approval rating is 4%.”
“Zelenskyy is a dictator.”
Unfortunately, people believe this nonsense. I fear I’m preaching to the converted here but all the same let’s set the record straight: none of this is true.
Ukraine was invaded – first in 2014, then again in 2022.
Negotiating with Russia is pointless. Their word is worthless. For months, we’ve heard: “We need to end this war by bringing Ukraine and Russia to the negotiating table.” But why? What good is Russia’s word?
Now Ukraine isn’t even at the table.
The “Peace” Delusion
Another common refrain: “We need to end this war and stop the bloodshed – too many people are dying.”
Sure. Go ahead. Make a deal. But the bloodshed won’t stop.
Russia’s ultimate goal? The elimination of Ukraine. They will not stop short of that.
As
, preeminent scholar on Ukraine, puts it in Peace or Partition:“The highest Russian officials have repeatedly stated that their war aims in Ukraine are maximalist, including the destruction of the country…This is not a plan that the Russians are working very hard to disguise. It is a simple point, but always worth making: there could indeed be peace tomorrow in Ukraine, if Russia simply removed its invasion force.” (my emphasis)
Do so-called peace advocates understand this? Are they ignorant? Or do they just not care? Because as we all know, Russia will use any ceasefire, any break in fighting to rearm and do whatever it takes to subjugate all of Ukraine and wipe the country out.
Let’s go back to Stefan Zweig’s words: “History reveals NO INSTANCES of a conqueror being surfeited by conquests.”
Russia will not stop.
War Fatigue? Tell That to Ukrainians
While Russia claims to want peace, they attack Ukraine every single day. Air raid sirens. Drone strikes. Missiles. Day and night.
Yet people talk about ‘war fatigue.’ Some say they don’t want to hear about Ukraine anymore. Others don’t even realise the war is still happening because it’s not dominating the headlines.
Try telling that to Ukrainians, who don’t have the luxury of ignoring reality. This is a battle for their very existence.
I hate to quote Stalin (it feels deeply inappropriate), but I will nonetheless: “A single death is a tragedy; a million is a statistic.”
Wrong. The hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian deaths are an unspeakable tragedy. Lives shattered. Families torn apart or destroyed. Futures erased.
And for what?
These tragedies cannot be in vain.
Some people say:
“Why should we help or care about Ukraine? It’s not our problem. We have enough problems of our own.”
Here’s why:
If Russia wins, your problems will only get worse.
This war doesn’t end with Ukraine. Other countries are next.
Timothy Snyder again:
“Three years in, the outcome of the war remains uncertain. What is certain is that no wider war began. Ukraine has destroyed much of the Russian armed forces and drawn Russian troops away from NATO borders. With some help from allies, it is, in effect, fulfilling the entire NATO mission with its own armed forces, and without NATO membership. Indirectly but meaningfully, Ukraine contributed to the fall of Assad in Syria, by drawing away the Russian air forces and other forces.”
Ukraine is holding the line for the free world.
If Russia wins, what happens next? China moves on Taiwan. Autocrats everywhere take note.
Because if Ukraine falls, who’s going to stop the next aggressor?
The atrocities we cannot ignore
Should we mention the torture?
The rape?
The thousands of Ukrainians missing or abducted?
The stolen children, sent to Russia for “re-education”
The bodies yet to be found?
Or do we just pretend this isn’t happening?
“But the US is wasting money on Ukraine…”
Let’s clear up another myth.
Most of the aid sent to Ukraine stays in the US – creating American jobs, strengthening American industry.
It’s not a handout. It’s an investment, and at insignificant financial cost. And with NO RISK to American troops. In financial terms, it’s miniscule. The cost is negligible.
The upside is massive.
And the downsides? Too scare to contemplate.
The “Peace” Hypocrisy
Russia keeps saying, “We’re ready for negotiations.”
And “peace advocates” rush to agree: “See? Russia is willing to negotiate – it’s Ukraine prolonging the war!”
So it’s Ukraine’s fault for resisting a foreign invasion? How dare they fight back!
Russia’s idea of “peace” is simple:
Give us your land – even the parts we haven’t taken yet.
Believe our fake referendums – you know, the ones where 97% “vote” to join Russia.
Ignore our war crimes.
Lift economic sanctions.
Praise our dear leader Putin, the master strategist.
Give us time to regroup and rearm so we can conquer the rest of Ukraine and then move onto Poland, the Baltics, Moldova, wherever.
And they lie about their actions every day.
“We only attack military infrastructure,” they say.
Yes, of course. Because schools, kindergartens, churches, hospitals, apartment buildings, and energy grids are all military targets?
They’re not even hiding their intentions anymore.
Russia’s Endgame
I don’t watch Russian state TV, but I follow those who do – like @JuliaDavisNews (on Xitter), creator of the Russian Media Monitor.
On Russian talk shows, they openly discuss wiping Ukraine off the map. They aren’t mincing words.
And guess what? It’s not only Ukraine they want to wipe out but the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Images like this are a regular, daily occurrence on Russian TV:
Every day, Russian media features images of nuclear strikes on US cities.
They want the US gone just as much as they want Ukraine gone.
Occam’s Razor: The Simplest Answer
Let’s revisit Occam’s Razor – the idea that the simplest explanation is usually the correct one.
Russia started this war. Russia can end it. All they have to do is leave.
Whatever they do, they should never be forgiven. There must be justice. They have to be held accountable for their actions. Ukrainians need answers.
Want to pay for the war? Then take the $300 billion in frozen Russian assets. Simple.
The Brutal Truth
Some people are too cowardly to say what they really mean. So let me spell it out:
“We don’t give a shit about Ukraine. Let Russia wipe them out. Just shut up and leave us alone.”
“The West caused this war. NATO expansion forced Russia’s hand. Putin had no choice.”
The far-right and far-left love pushing these talking points. Both extremes say, “We just want peace.”
What they really mean is:
“We love Russia.”
“We don’t give a shit about Ukraine.”
“The military-industrial complex is profiting.”
“Yay for communism!”
“Make love, not war.”
It’s either deliberate ignorance or willful indifference.
Final Thoughts
The hypocrisy coming from the US right now is staggering: JD Vance and Musk lecturing Europeans about democracy. Trump and his good pal Vlad calling Zelensky a “dictator.” The irony is laughable.
Are they deliberately incompetent? Or is this a calculated ruse?
(Seriously, the kompromat Putin has on Trump must be some serious shit.)
I wish I had answers. But what I do know is this:
If the world lets Ukraine fall, we will all pay the price.
A letter of apology to Ukraine
Dear Ukraine,
On behalf of my American friends, I’m truly sorry.
I’m half American so feel free to direct some blame at me, but all I can say in my defence/defense is that I did my part to keep this megalomaniac out of office.
Forgive us, as hard as that might be (I’m not sure I can). Some mean well. Plenty of Americans are behind you. Plenty of Americans despise Russia and Putin but I’m afraid that there are plenty more who, frankly, just don’t give a shit. Vice President JD Vance has openly said that he doesn’t care what happens to Ukraine, an attitude all too common amongst many of my compatriots.
But don’t despair. You wouldn’t anyway. You’re too strong, too resilient.
Ukrainian friends have asked me how this could happen. I wish I had a good answer. Although I’m a student of history and international relations, I’m just as baffled as you are.
Maybe it’s ignorance. Maybe it’s apathy.
Maybe it’s American exceptionalism, if you’re familiar with the term: the US is, supposedly, a unique, exemplary, and morally superior country for historical and ideological reasons.
But that sounds like an excuse. When in doubt, it’s American exceptionalism, everyone!
The painful reality is that the vast majority of the electorate – and this can apply to any country – don’t follow politics closely. They know very little about policy, economics, inflation, and other more serious topics.
Want to blame social media and disinformation? Sure, go ahead. There’s a lot of that. People are naïve. They go down rabbit holes and become conspiracy theorists. Unfortunately, it’s close to impossible to change people’s minds, especially online. My pleas…your pleas are too often falling on deaf ears.
I’m sorry, but Ukraine barely registers on the average citizen’s radar, and that isn’t just an American thing. Plenty of Europeans feel just as much apathy. You can try to convince them of why supporting Ukraine is imperative for democracy and freedom around the world, but they don’t care, if they even listen.
If there’s a silver lining, perhaps it’s Trump’s unpredictability. He lives in a fantasy world and has a few screws loose. He’s unhinged and untethered to reality. He’s a narcissist and a compulsive liar. He surrounds himself with sycophants and yes men (and women). If it sounds like they are echoing Russian talking points it’s because they are.
But who knows? Maybe, just maybe, that unpredictability will be a factor in Ukraine’s favour.
Because one thing is certain: Ukraine will never give up.
And for that, the world owes you everything.
[Highly] recommended reading
: Thinking About, especially this history lesson with parallels to Munich in 1938 - Appeasement at Munich (World Wars, Past and Possible) and Peace or Partition? (Russians and Americans speak about Ukraine, without Ukrainians)This piece from
gives a brief overview of what’s going on in Saudi Arabia right now with these so-called negotiations: The sadness of the Riyadh talksThis short but inspiring and powerful message of hope and thanks from
: Ukraine stands because of youOne more time, A Personal War from
Yours Ukrainian from
: Historic Sellout — America’s Looming Betrayal of Ukraine and EuropeThe betrayal of Ukraine, by Antony Beever at Englesberg Ideas
If I’m missing anyone please add them (or you) to the comments.
And in the comments, please do share your thoughts, whether you agree or not. Is there anything else you’d like me to clarify or shed light on? Have I got anything wrong? Don’t be shy.
As with many famous quotations, nobody really knows who said it first.
Lviv Book Forum, autumn 2023
The Holodomor was an orchestrated famine in Ukraine from 1932 to 1933, caused by Stalin’s policies, that led to the deaths of up to 5 million Ukrainians. It has been recognised as genocide.
Your anger is palpable Daniel. I sincerely hope that Europe stands together with Ukraine; the two thugs carving things up at the moment must be stopped.
My country will probably end up in a lot more debt than it already is, but at least I don't have to live with the deep shame of seeing us give up on our neighbours. What's happening in Ukraine is everyone's problem if they care about sovereignty (a popular far right buzz word here) and democracy (a word Vance is still looking up). Have you seen WW2 in colour? It was eye opening to see how many politicians in the US and UK wanted to 'make a deal' with Hitler to stop the madness. He still invaded Poland. He still committed genocide. The only leaders authoritarian rulers respect are those long dead and out of their way. Thank you for writing this. The UK still cares about Ukraine.