Every member of the American Embassy staff in Kyiv, led by the courageous and discerning ambassador, Bridget Brink, willingly volunteered for their duty. They have sacrificed time with their families and have been residing in hotel rooms for months on end. Their responsibility includes overseeing one of the largest U.S. assistance efforts since the Marshall Plan. Their main focus is ensuring the proper accountability of tens of thousands of individual pieces of American military equipment in Ukrainian possession. Additionally, they are faced with the task of reestablishing an embassy that was severely damaged on the brink of Russia’s invasion. Moreover, they are diligently monitoring and documenting Russian war crimes, with the Ukrainian prosecutor general’s office having already documented approximately 95,000 incidents.
I also had the opportunity to experience what it was like to be in conference rooms and walk along corridors that would soon be destroyed by Russian weaponry. During a diplomatic visit to the port of Odesa, led by Administrator Samantha Power of the United States Agency for International Development, I witnessed firsthand how Power engaged with Ukrainian officials to discuss logistic options for their exports following Putin’s withdrawal from the grain agreement. She then met with farmers to address concerns such as landmine removal and financial stability. Remarkably, the Port Authority building, where these meetings took place, was targeted and struck by Russian forces just a day after our departure.
One of the most striking lessons I learned is that Ukrainians refuse to let their victimhood define their identity. Unlike the Serbian government, which preserved the wreckage of its old defense ministry as a symbol of self-pity after the 1999 NATO bombing, the residents of Bucha, a Kyiv suburb heavily affected by Russia’s initial occupation during the war, transformed their bullet-ridden apartment buildings into trendy co-working spaces. The mayor of Bucha, Anatoliy Fedoruk, emphasized that while their memories remain in memoirs, the residents are committed to rebuilding without reminders of the past.
Furthermore, Ukrainians have shown their reluctance to trade their sovereign territory for Western security assurances or any armistice deal with Moscow. Previous attempts, such as the Budapest Memorandum in the 1990s, where they surrendered their nuclear arsenal to Russia in exchange for empty guarantees of territorial integrity, and the toothless Minsk agreements after Russia’s first invasion in 2014, have proven unsuccessful. Instead of pressuring Ukraine into compromising its sovereignty and security, Western policy should focus on providing the necessary military support to empower Ukraine to achieve victory. This approach is essential in alleviating our anxieties about Russian escalation.
Lastly, despite the aid provided to Ukraine, it is imperative to recognize that they are the true benefactors in our relationship. Ben Wallace, the typically thoughtful defense minister of Britain, suggested that Ukrainians should express more gratitude towards their arms suppliers after the recent NATO summit. However, this perspective is misguided. NATO countries invest in their long-term security through financial means, which can be easily replaced, and munitions. In contrast, Ukrainians pay for their security with lives and limbs lost on the frontlines.
In summary, the resilience and determination of the American Embassy staff in Kyiv, the bravery of the Ukrainian people, and the need for Western nations to support Ukraine’s military efforts are key takeaways from my experiences. It is crucial to shift our perspective and acknowledge Ukraine as the true benefactors in our relationship, considering the sacrifices they endure in protecting their sovereignty and security.
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