Ukrainians’ desire for a strong democracy to replace the Viktor Yanukovych kleptocracy triggered a revolution and forced the nation to defend itself against Russian attack. But it will never be easy, as the vote against ratification fo the EU-Ukraine trade-and-political pact shows.

We believe in the wisdom of representative democracy, which means elected officials have to take tough and principled stands and cannot decide every issue by plebiscite.

Only 32 percent of Dutch voters came to the polls; 61 percent of them opposed an association agreement with the EU that every other government in the 28 nation bloc, including the Dutch government, supports.

The Netherlands has 12 million voters. That means 4 million showed up to vote and 2.4 million of them voted against the treaty. It is undemocratic to derail an agreement involving 540 million citizens – 500 million in the EU, 40 million in Ukraine – because of 2.4 million people.

The message, of course, is an anti-EU one by Dutch voters. The 28-nation bloc is in danger because of a United Kingdom June 23 referendum on whether to exit the EU. We hope wiser heads prevail. The EU is essential in promoting democratic values, human rights and economic prosperity. And Ukraine deserves to be in this league of nations.