In April, it was reported that I was under consideration to serve in the Joe Biden-Kamala Harris administration as director for Russia on the National Security Council staff. In the days and weeks that followed, my record of scholarship, my views on pressing policy issues, and even my patriotism were attacked, including by some representatives of the Ukrainian American community. While the most outlandish attacks do not even merit a response, I do take seriously the concerns of Ukrainians and Ukrainian Americans, and I want to take this opportunity to set the record straight.

I stand with Biden in condemning Russia’s continuing illegal occupation of Crimea, and its efforts at destabilizing Ukraine more broadly, including via the ongoing conflict in the Donbas. Recent concentrations of Russian forces along Ukraine’s border appeared to be a signal of Moscow’s readiness to act again in violation of Ukrainian sovereignty, and potentially to plunge both countries even deeper into what has already been a catastrophic war costing tens of thousands of lives as well as incalculable social, economic and environmental damage. Biden was right to raise the issue in his recent phone call with President Vladimir Putin, even as he committed to unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Having worked and lived in Ukraine, taught university courses on its history and current politics, and served as director of the Wilson Center’s Kennan Institute, which has a proud, four-decade history of scholarly exchange with Ukrainian universities and research institutions, I know well the importance of Ukraine. Not only the largest country by territory within Europe, home to a diverse, highly talented population, and famous in history as a breadbasket for the world, Ukraine is also increasingly a symbolic test case for the trials facing many democracies, including my own country.

As then-Vice President Biden recounted in his 2015 speech to the Verkhovna Rada, Americans have been transfixed time and again by the courage of ordinary Ukrainians, and yet we have also been too often disappointed by backsliding towards the “pervasive poison of cronyism, corruption, and kleptocracy.” Biden wisely cautioned that U.S. policy should not dictate what is in another country’s interest, but he also clearly stated the U.S. national interest in a successful Ukraine. That success today depends on overcoming many of the same obstacles as in 2015, from the stark challenge of resisting Russian aggression to the subtler difficulties of fulfilling promised reforms in the judiciary, energy, social welfare, and also security spheres.

Biden has a long history of balancing strong support for Ukraine with “tough love.” His is a message that is not always universally welcomed or appreciated, but it is consistent, and it can be trusted not to weaken or falter. Because I am confident that it is solidly grounded in the U.S. national interest, I support just such an approach.

The United States has a vital interest in European security. A Europe divided and at war—as it is today—will inevitably draw Americans into harm’s way, as it has time and again over more than a century. Ukraine’s success in defending its own borders, regaining control over Crimea and Donbas, and resettling and reintegrating its displaced population, are crucial for Europe’s future security, and deserving of steadfast support.

Beyond traditional state-to-state conflicts, the United States, Ukraine, and the world face challenges today that no one country can solve alone. From the COVID-19 pandemic to the proliferation of the world’s most dangerous weapons and technologies, to environmental degradation and runaway climate change, cooperation is essential to the future of humanity on this planet. In each of these areas, Ukraine could play an important role, especially if buoyed by wise investments from the United States and the international community—investments that must be matched by consistent performance and strict accountability.

Finally, democracy is central to what it means to be American. We have been called the “arsenal of democracy,” which is about much more than force of arms. Yet as Biden has put it, American democracy is under threat, and can only endure if the people regain the trust that democracy can solve pressing problems. Ukraine’s young and fractious democracy, although vulnerable, has the chance to reject the corrupt practices and internal cleavages of the past in favor of pragmatic, inclusive problem solving—and in so doing, to inspire Americans and the world. In this, too, Ukraine deserves support.

Over a decade ago, the United States and Ukraine signed a Charter on Strategic Partnership. That declaration emphasized shared values and shared interests, and called for deepening cooperation. Although the world has changed in countless ways since that time, Biden has been clear that these principles have not. I stand with the president in his call for a revitalized relationship that advances the U.S. national interest and delivers justice, security, and prosperity for the people of Ukraine.

Matthew Rojansky is the director of the Wilson Center’s Kennan Institute in Washington, D.C.