Why I Support Ukraine

 

I have heard arguments that the world should stay out of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Here are the arguments I have heard, and my dissents.

1. The issue is complicated. You need to understand Russian and Ukrainian history. There are grievances on both sides.

It seems to me the matter is unambiguous. One sovereign nation has invaded another sovereign nation. This was not at the invitation of the government, and is now clearly not in accord with the wishes of the people. 

Collective security and the maintenance of international law requires that other nations align with the invaded.

Some will argue that the US could be accused of the same offense. Two wrongs do not make a right. I objected at the time to American intervention in Kosovo, for example, or in Noriega’s Panama. American intervention in Iraq is not parallel: Saddam had invaded a neighbouring country,

2. There are Nazi influences in the Ukrainian government

This is a claim Putin makes; it is also affirmed by Viva and Barnes. 

Here, you indeed need to know Ukrainian history. The invasion of Ukraine by Nazi Germany in 1941 came soon after the Holodomor. To many Ukrainians at the time, the Nazis appeared as liberators, at least initially. Probably most living Ukrainians have some Nazi sympathizer somewhere in their family background.

But Nazism was ground to powder and salted over 75 years ago. The present threat will come from those who claim they are fighting Nazis. Because no true Nazi will claim to be a Nazi today.

The president of Ukraine is a Jew.

3. Ukraine has refused to recognize the independence of the Donbas region. Therefore, they have no right to demand that Russia recognize their own independence. Moreover, Ukraine is committing genocide against the population of the Donbas.

Ukraine has been independent since 1991—thirty years. Its independence is internationally recognized, including by Russia at the time. 

The Donbas region voted for independence only in 2014; the vote is not considered legitimate and democratic by the international community. Only Russia recognizes their independence, and only as of 2022.

The two cases do not look parallel. 

If the Donbas was the issue, Russia might have had a case for occupying the Donbas; although the legal solution would be to hold a referendum under UN supervision. Yet they are fighting instead for the Ukrainian capital, with the stated aim of overthrowing the government.

4. The Ukrainian government is corrupt.

This is irrelevant; the issue is collective security and international law. But the Russian invasion is also not likely to end corruption in Ukraine. The Russian government is at least as corrupt as Ukraine’s.

In most conflicts everywhere, there is a right and wrong side: one party is in the right. Pretending otherwise is the refuge of scoundrels.