By: Hlib Miasnychenko

Today I am going to start by mentioning something that is going on 5,500 miles away from the USA. There, in Ukraine, on February 24th the active phase of the war had begun once again. In case you didn’t know, the hostilities between Russia and Ukraine had started long ago with an active ‘hot’ war in 2014-2015 and from now on.

That war is not a joke, it is not something that exists only in the news. For millions and millions of Ukrainians the war is equal to destroyed homes, dead brothers, sisters, parents and children. The current estimates from the UN say about 3 millions of Ukrainians are now refugees. More than a hundred children died in less than a month as the fighting is going on.

And all of it because of one man. Because of one man’s stupid ambitions there are people dying and suffering what no one should ever suffer. How does it affect you and the USA?

The American government does a lot to stop the war: there are unprecedented sanctions imposed on Russia, there are talks of sending planes and anti-air defense systems to Ukraine. As you all may know, the American government and public empathizes with Ukraine, but none has expressed an aspiration to participate in combat – which significantly limits Ukrainian ability to defend themselves and makes talks harder.

To address that I have only one phrase to say: both policymakers and the general public on this side of the Atlantic Ocean have to understand that if you do not want to die for Danzig, that is completely understandable. But you are risking dying for Dunkirk not much later.

If you want to support Ukraine, I believe the best way is to talk with our representatives: congressman Richard Durbin, congresswoman Tammy Duckworth as well as our representatives. Remind them that Ukraine has support from people and Illinois.