Frequently, we can read that Ukraine “demands” something, and some criticize the country and its representatives as not being thankful and diplomatic enough. Some Ukrainian officials have indeed be a bit pushy, a bit forceful in their asks, and their tone has been a bit demanding.
But – can you blame them?
Ukraine is fighting for its survival as a country, as a people, as a culture. The fight is not yet won, not by a long shot. The only acceptable victory can consist of the complete return of its territory – including, of course, Crimea – and of its people and children that have been captured by Russia. After that – which is only the minimum necessity – the rebuilding begins, for which, ideally, Russia will have to pay (as it should).
The current situation is not necessarily without hope, but it is not without risk either. Russia has dug in, it keeps killing Ukrainians, keeps destroying infrastructure, keeps kidnapping children, keeps destroying Ukrainian culture. The assault is relentless.
Neither will the war end quickly, pending a miracle and/or the end of Putin.
Thus for the foreseeable future, Ukraine needs help.
But, it is being asked, what are we as Ukraine’s supporters getting out of this?
What a question. We are helping a country and people who have been attacked without provocation, who have been at war since 2014, whose very existence is threatened by a brutal, genocidal, fascist aggressor. Helping Ukraine is meritorious in itself.
Nevertheless, in the real world, everything costs money or resources, so let’s answer the question.
Russia has been acting as a global aggressor for decades now. Ask Chechnya, Syria, Georgia, and all the African countries destabilized by the Wagner group, most recently Sudan and Niger. Through its fake news propaganda apparatus, it has worked to destabilize the entire world. Defeating Russia, or even just weakening it significantly, means eliminating or weakening one of the most pathological influences on today’s global society.
Ukraine is willing to fight, and it has to fight – but it is not the only one benefitting.
Thanks are indeed in order. To Ukraine. And, yes, if Ukrainian officials were to act a bit more humbly, it might be beneficial as well – but I would suggest that we accept that in the face of death and destruction, Ukraine’s insistence that it needs help – for all our sakes – is quite legitimate.
Ceterum censeo Ucrainam esse defendam. Слава Україні!
Erratic Attempts 