Ukrainian Americans for Biden (UAB) sent an open letter dated December 21, 2021, and to The White House, National Security Council, State Department, representatives on Capitol Hill, think tanks and journalists.
The text, unedited by Kyiv Post, follows:
Dear President Biden:
Ukrainian Americans for Biden welcomes your staunch support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as your administration’s consistent resistance to ongoing Russian aggression in Ukraine. You have sent a clear and unambiguous message to Vladimir Putin that Russia will suffer severe consequences for any escalation of military aggression against Ukraine in the war it began in 2014. We applaud the strong stance of senior officials and the multiple efforts across relevant government agencies to diminish Russia’s threat, and recognize the complex effort to rally allies and partners in support of Ukraine. That some do not fully acknowledge the extreme danger posed by Russian actions is indeed unfortunate.
Ukraine has put up fierce resistance—at a high price to the nation—to protect itself and serve as a bulwark for Europe.
To send a clear message to Vladimir Putin, we urge the finalization of a strict state and personal sanctions package to deter Russia, as well as the acceleration in the provision of weapons and other assistance to Ukraine. Mr. Putin’s imperial ambitions, both delusional and dangerous, are not going to disappear.
America and our allies must voice and show support strongly and consistently for Ukraine’s independent statehood and its decisions to pursue membership in the European Union and NATO. Vladimir Putin’s far-fetched allegations that NATO threatens Russia must be rejected unequivocally. He cannot be allowed to use his security ultimatums to NATO and the U.S. as a “bargaining” chip in a promise to scale down aggression. While we value the role of diplomacy, diplomatic discussions must not allow for any concessions that would undermine Ukraine’s sovereignty or call into question our Helsinki Final Act, Charter of Paris and other international commitments.
Our concern is not simply about military invasion. Russia has refined hybrid warfare and without a doubt will increase the use of other means to undermine Ukraine, including disinformation, threats to cybersecurity and acts of sabotage. A military invasion notwithstanding, the U.S. must shore up Ukraine’s defense through the further provision of significantly enhanced naval, air, intelligence, and cybersecurity support.
Mr. President, thanks to your leadership and bipartisan Congressional support, U.S. assistance to Ukraine is at its highest level historically. Despite the recent focus on military support, the United States must continue to augment support in the economic, democracy building, humanitarian, and energy sectors, as well. The Biden-initiated U.S.-Ukraine Charter on Strategic Partnership offers a solid roadmap and should be implemented fully.
We wholeheartedly wish you strength, fortitude, and resolve in your efforts to counter Vladimir Putin’s unrelenting mission to destroy Ukraine, compromise European security and undermine the rules-based international order. For the sake of global peace and security, Vladimir Putin’s ambitions must be halted.
Ukrainian Americans for Biden Steering Committee
Chrystia Balko Slywotzky, Orest Deychakiwsky, Marta Farion, Andrew Fedynsky, Irene Jarosewich, Khristina Lew, Ulana Mazurkevich, Adrian Slywotzky, Mark N.V. Temnycky, Halyna Traversa, Tania Vitvitsky
Dec. 21, 2021
