Today marks three years since Russia's unprovoked and barbaric invasion of Ukraine. Executive Director of the George W. Bush Institute David J. Kramer discusses why the United States must continue to boldly stand with Ukraine
Today marks the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. But it doesn’t mark the beginning of the war, you have to go back to 2013-2014, when Russia interfered with Ukraine’s politics, and then launched the illegal annexation of Crimea in February of 2014. From there, Russia then moved into the Eastern part of Ukraine called the Donbas, and it was there that the war originally started. And from that period until February of 2022, when Russia launched its full-scale invasion, more than 14,000 Ukrainians were killed by Russian forces.
Why did Putin invade 11 years ago? It’s because he doesn’t recognize Ukraine as a sovereign independent state, and he would rather try to bring Ukraine down, rather than try to lift Russia up. Putin then moved with a full-scale invasion February 24, 2022, because he wanted to essentially destroy Ukraine. He wanted to take over the country, remove its government, and force the recognition of Russian occupation of Ukrainian territory.
The causality toll since 2022, has been massive on both sides, but for Ukraine, it’s because Russia launched this war. Russia invaded Ukraine, and Russia bears responsibility for everything that we have seen develop ever since. It remains very important for The United States to stand with Ukraine in this battle against Russia’s invading forces and despite the tremendous suffering that Ukrainians have endured, not just for the past three years, but going back since 2014. It remains the case that the Ukrainians are determined to fight for their land, for their survival, for their freedom.
The United States needs to stand with Ukraine in this trying hour. The United States has also generously supported Ukraine throughout the years, and it needs to continue to do so, and while some Americans have volunteered to help Ukraine, the Ukrainians have never asked The United States to send its brave men and women to fight this fight for them. Ukrainians have fought on the front line of freedom. They are defending not only their freedom, but ours as well.
