Approve Urgent Budget Request to fund America’s national security needs to support Ukraine
To the Honorable Members of the United States Congress,
As Ukrainian citizens, on behalf of all our fellow citizens, let us extend our heartfelt appreciation for the support we've received in our efforts to resist Russian aggression. But at the same time, we would like to convey our concerns on apparent disunity within the U.S. Congress when it comes to evaluating the monumental events currently unfolding in the heart of Europe.
There seems to be an attempt to downplay Russian aggression as a local conflict, rather than recognizing it as an event whose outcome holds profound implications for the course of world history and even the very survival of humanity itself.
This illusion will inevitably lead to the erosion of democracy on a global scale, spelling out the irreversible decline of U.S. leadership, with profoundly tragic consequences for the lives of every American citizen.
Russia did initiate the largest conflict of the 21st century not with an invasion of Ukraine; but with a mocking ultimatum to the United States, which Russian Ribbentrop-style diplomacy molded in the form of a draft treaty on mutual guarantees.
Russian Federation issued a similar ultimatum to NATO amidst its military build-up, demanding in an extremely boorish manner Alliance to “pack their bags and return to the 1997 borders.”
President Putin openly labeled his operation in Ukraine the first stage of an extensive “crusade” against the United States, NATO, and democracy as a whole. In essence, the Russian leadership explicitly and proudly designated NATO (and consequently, the United States as the leader of the Alliance) as a party to the conflict even prior to the invasion of Ukraine.
A cynical challenge has been openly thrown at us, in front of the eyes of the whole world, as well as the entire system of international interaction, international law, and the system of values that define a civilized society.
However, the current political landscape raises doubts about the United States' capacity to deliver a commensurate response to this audacious challenge at a juncture when humanity is standing on the precipice of a defining moment.
More and more democracies are under threat, and to be brutally frank, all of them.
At the same time, the challenges confronting democracies are not solely external; they also emanate from within.
In every society, even the most democratic ones, there exist extremist elements such as radical fundamentalists, neo-fascists, neo-Bolsheviks, racists, and neo-Nazis. And if today they are marginalized, then under certain conditions their marginality may begin to take shape into the mainstream.
For autocrats, dictators and extremists of all stripes, any result of the Putin regime’s aggression other than its undeniable defeat will be desirable and critically important.
A victory, or even avoiding a clear loss, for Russia would signify that a single dictatorship, representing just around 2% of global GDP, could assert its dominance and effectively resist an alliance comprising at least 54 countries (the Ramstein coalition), responsible for generating over 50% of the world's high-tech GDP.
What conclusions will billions of voters worldwide draw from this situation?
They may come to believe that dictatorship, unconstrained by humanistic principles, and a disregard for both international and domestic law, are far more effective than democracy.
They might also conclude that without an adequate response to audacious challenges, it becomes possible to wage wars of aggression, exploit grievances, foster fear, undermine an independent judiciary, control media, suppress civil society and political opposition, interfere in elections, spread disinformation, leverage corruption, famine, environmental crises, and nuclear blackmail as weapons.
All over the world, new Hitlers, Stalins, Kim Jong-uns, Saddam Husseins, Osama bin Ladens and Putins could ascend to power, including through legitimate elections, as Hitler and HAMAS did in their time.
Today, Europe, much like in the 1930s, is already one step away from a political crisis and the coming to power of radicals, and through democratic processes.
The external challenge to democracy is that literally before our eyes, despotic regimes are beginning to consolidate around the dictator Putin, who, while continuing to multiply war crimes every day, is quickly and consistently carrying out the total militarization of Russian society and the economy.
Despots from various continents are forging and expanding various forms of cooperation among themselves, including joint military programs and direct arms supplies. This is leading to the establishment of an openly anti-democratic bloc in the world, involving nuclear-armed nations.
On every continent, there are regimes that are currently observing these the processes from the sidelines but are willing to align with this anti-democratic bloc if it succeeds. It would be naive to assume that the consolidation of despotism will automatically result in the consolidation of democracies, as was the during the Cold War.
The combination of internal and external challenges to democracy creates a particularly tense situation for the entire world.
In terms of its threat to humanity, the current situation is comparable to the Cuban Missile Crisis, only extended in time.
Many of the world's foremost experts are sounding the alarm, emphasizing that scientific, technological, and social progress of mankind under dictatorships may rapidly lead to an irreversible catastrophe – a literal, physical end to humanity. Perhaps with a short transition period in the form of a total concentration camp.
Now the eyes of the entire democratic world are focused with hope on America, on the great American people, who have proven throughout their great history their unwavering commitment to freedom, progress, and humanism.
There were two turning points in your glorious history that determined the future not only of America, but of the entire world. And thanks to which America has rightly secured its leadership.
The first occurred in June 1863 during the Battle of Gettysburg. It was a clash of two contrasting worldviews – the world of freedom and the world of slavery. Citizens who championed freedom, guided by remarkable leaders, charted the course of their own history and that of the world for nearly 80 years.
The second moment transpired in December 1941 when Americans, under the guidance of prominent leaders, chose to forge an anti-Hitler coalition. Subsequently, this coalition of victors over Hitler's Nazism gave rise to international institutions that defined the framework for global security, the monetary and financial system, and the structure of trade and economic relations for the following 80 years.
The greatness of leaders such as Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt at these pivotal junctures was determined by their ability to grasp a global perspective that eluded many of their contemporaries, and their determination to overcome the inertia of thinking and rigidity of beliefs that were naturally present at that time in both society and the political class.
Having overcome this resistance, taking responsibility, they etched their names into the annals of history for all time.
Today, the third turning point is in Tokmak, Ukraine - a small town that holds the key to the entire Russian-Ukrainian war.
Ukraine's military success at this point will not only be the turning point of this war, but also for the entire world. This is the point of change for the mainstream.
As President Biden rightly noted: “We’re facing an inflection point in history. One of those moments where the decisions we make today are going to determine the future for decades to come.”
Modern history is currently unfolding on the battlefields in Ukraine: namely, what political models will shape the future development of human civilization.
President Kennedy, addressing Canadian parliamentarians a year before the Cuban missile crisis, stated, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
We have all seen from the examples of both Ukraine and Israel what happens if evil is not punished in time.
In this context, the role of your country as a leader in shaping the mainstream of human development for the coming decades takes on critical significance.
America's leadership is currently exemplified by its extensive support for Ukraine in repelling Russian aggression and by the fact that your nation has taken the lead in establishing a new global security framework rooted in humanistic values, designed to make the initiation of aggressive warfare fundamentally impossible.
Americans, guided by the leadership of great figures, must once again, as they have done twice in their history, make an extraordinary contribution to shaping the course of world civilization. This should be accomplished through unwavering and unequivocal support for the just and selfless struggle of the Ukrainian people for their freedom and for the values of the democratic world, to which they rightfully consider themselves an integral part.
It is imperative to expedite the empowerment of the Ukrainian military and government in their endeavor to restore Ukraine's sovereignty within its internationally recognized borders. This course of action is not only just and lawful, but it is also well within the capabilities of the United States.
According to your President, “there is nothing, nothing beyond our capacity, if we do it together.”
If Russia is not stopped in Ukraine now, a direct military clash with NATO is inevitable in a few years, and Russia may not be alone.
Any political and economic investment by the United States in countering an aggressor who is blatantly undermining the global order is an investment in the future of our civilization and the prosperity of every American, European, Israeli and Ukrainian.
It is of paramount importance that the election campaign and democratic processes related to providing assistance to Ukraine do not undermine American leadership in the face of this existential threat.
In light of this, we kindly request your support for President Biden’s urgent budget request to fund America’s national security needs, to support our critical partners, including Israel and Ukraine.
With hope and respect,
Andriy Savarets, Volodymyr Shevchenko and many other citizens of Ukraine
As Ukrainian citizens, on behalf of all our fellow citizens, let us extend our heartfelt appreciation for the support we've received in our efforts to resist Russian aggression. But at the same time, we would like to convey our concerns on apparent disunity within the U.S. Congress when it comes to evaluating the monumental events currently unfolding in the heart of Europe.
There seems to be an attempt to downplay Russian aggression as a local conflict, rather than recognizing it as an event whose outcome holds profound implications for the course of world history and even the very survival of humanity itself.
This illusion will inevitably lead to the erosion of democracy on a global scale, spelling out the irreversible decline of U.S. leadership, with profoundly tragic consequences for the lives of every American citizen.
Russia did initiate the largest conflict of the 21st century not with an invasion of Ukraine; but with a mocking ultimatum to the United States, which Russian Ribbentrop-style diplomacy molded in the form of a draft treaty on mutual guarantees.
Russian Federation issued a similar ultimatum to NATO amidst its military build-up, demanding in an extremely boorish manner Alliance to “pack their bags and return to the 1997 borders.”
President Putin openly labeled his operation in Ukraine the first stage of an extensive “crusade” against the United States, NATO, and democracy as a whole. In essence, the Russian leadership explicitly and proudly designated NATO (and consequently, the United States as the leader of the Alliance) as a party to the conflict even prior to the invasion of Ukraine.
A cynical challenge has been openly thrown at us, in front of the eyes of the whole world, as well as the entire system of international interaction, international law, and the system of values that define a civilized society.
However, the current political landscape raises doubts about the United States' capacity to deliver a commensurate response to this audacious challenge at a juncture when humanity is standing on the precipice of a defining moment.
More and more democracies are under threat, and to be brutally frank, all of them.
At the same time, the challenges confronting democracies are not solely external; they also emanate from within.
In every society, even the most democratic ones, there exist extremist elements such as radical fundamentalists, neo-fascists, neo-Bolsheviks, racists, and neo-Nazis. And if today they are marginalized, then under certain conditions their marginality may begin to take shape into the mainstream.
For autocrats, dictators and extremists of all stripes, any result of the Putin regime’s aggression other than its undeniable defeat will be desirable and critically important.
A victory, or even avoiding a clear loss, for Russia would signify that a single dictatorship, representing just around 2% of global GDP, could assert its dominance and effectively resist an alliance comprising at least 54 countries (the Ramstein coalition), responsible for generating over 50% of the world's high-tech GDP.
What conclusions will billions of voters worldwide draw from this situation?
They may come to believe that dictatorship, unconstrained by humanistic principles, and a disregard for both international and domestic law, are far more effective than democracy.
They might also conclude that without an adequate response to audacious challenges, it becomes possible to wage wars of aggression, exploit grievances, foster fear, undermine an independent judiciary, control media, suppress civil society and political opposition, interfere in elections, spread disinformation, leverage corruption, famine, environmental crises, and nuclear blackmail as weapons.
All over the world, new Hitlers, Stalins, Kim Jong-uns, Saddam Husseins, Osama bin Ladens and Putins could ascend to power, including through legitimate elections, as Hitler and HAMAS did in their time.
Today, Europe, much like in the 1930s, is already one step away from a political crisis and the coming to power of radicals, and through democratic processes.
The external challenge to democracy is that literally before our eyes, despotic regimes are beginning to consolidate around the dictator Putin, who, while continuing to multiply war crimes every day, is quickly and consistently carrying out the total militarization of Russian society and the economy.
Despots from various continents are forging and expanding various forms of cooperation among themselves, including joint military programs and direct arms supplies. This is leading to the establishment of an openly anti-democratic bloc in the world, involving nuclear-armed nations.
On every continent, there are regimes that are currently observing these the processes from the sidelines but are willing to align with this anti-democratic bloc if it succeeds. It would be naive to assume that the consolidation of despotism will automatically result in the consolidation of democracies, as was the during the Cold War.
The combination of internal and external challenges to democracy creates a particularly tense situation for the entire world.
In terms of its threat to humanity, the current situation is comparable to the Cuban Missile Crisis, only extended in time.
Many of the world's foremost experts are sounding the alarm, emphasizing that scientific, technological, and social progress of mankind under dictatorships may rapidly lead to an irreversible catastrophe – a literal, physical end to humanity. Perhaps with a short transition period in the form of a total concentration camp.
Now the eyes of the entire democratic world are focused with hope on America, on the great American people, who have proven throughout their great history their unwavering commitment to freedom, progress, and humanism.
There were two turning points in your glorious history that determined the future not only of America, but of the entire world. And thanks to which America has rightly secured its leadership.
The first occurred in June 1863 during the Battle of Gettysburg. It was a clash of two contrasting worldviews – the world of freedom and the world of slavery. Citizens who championed freedom, guided by remarkable leaders, charted the course of their own history and that of the world for nearly 80 years.
The second moment transpired in December 1941 when Americans, under the guidance of prominent leaders, chose to forge an anti-Hitler coalition. Subsequently, this coalition of victors over Hitler's Nazism gave rise to international institutions that defined the framework for global security, the monetary and financial system, and the structure of trade and economic relations for the following 80 years.
The greatness of leaders such as Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt at these pivotal junctures was determined by their ability to grasp a global perspective that eluded many of their contemporaries, and their determination to overcome the inertia of thinking and rigidity of beliefs that were naturally present at that time in both society and the political class.
Having overcome this resistance, taking responsibility, they etched their names into the annals of history for all time.
Today, the third turning point is in Tokmak, Ukraine - a small town that holds the key to the entire Russian-Ukrainian war.
Ukraine's military success at this point will not only be the turning point of this war, but also for the entire world. This is the point of change for the mainstream.
As President Biden rightly noted: “We’re facing an inflection point in history. One of those moments where the decisions we make today are going to determine the future for decades to come.”
Modern history is currently unfolding on the battlefields in Ukraine: namely, what political models will shape the future development of human civilization.
President Kennedy, addressing Canadian parliamentarians a year before the Cuban missile crisis, stated, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
We have all seen from the examples of both Ukraine and Israel what happens if evil is not punished in time.
In this context, the role of your country as a leader in shaping the mainstream of human development for the coming decades takes on critical significance.
America's leadership is currently exemplified by its extensive support for Ukraine in repelling Russian aggression and by the fact that your nation has taken the lead in establishing a new global security framework rooted in humanistic values, designed to make the initiation of aggressive warfare fundamentally impossible.
Americans, guided by the leadership of great figures, must once again, as they have done twice in their history, make an extraordinary contribution to shaping the course of world civilization. This should be accomplished through unwavering and unequivocal support for the just and selfless struggle of the Ukrainian people for their freedom and for the values of the democratic world, to which they rightfully consider themselves an integral part.
It is imperative to expedite the empowerment of the Ukrainian military and government in their endeavor to restore Ukraine's sovereignty within its internationally recognized borders. This course of action is not only just and lawful, but it is also well within the capabilities of the United States.
According to your President, “there is nothing, nothing beyond our capacity, if we do it together.”
If Russia is not stopped in Ukraine now, a direct military clash with NATO is inevitable in a few years, and Russia may not be alone.
Any political and economic investment by the United States in countering an aggressor who is blatantly undermining the global order is an investment in the future of our civilization and the prosperity of every American, European, Israeli and Ukrainian.
It is of paramount importance that the election campaign and democratic processes related to providing assistance to Ukraine do not undermine American leadership in the face of this existential threat.
In light of this, we kindly request your support for President Biden’s urgent budget request to fund America’s national security needs, to support our critical partners, including Israel and Ukraine.
With hope and respect,
Andriy Savarets, Volodymyr Shevchenko and many other citizens of Ukraine
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