Mark T Lawrence

The crux of the entire diplomatic situation is that it was Russia, and only Russia, that started this war, and it is Russia, and only Russia, that has been refusing to end it throughout the full-scale invasion. From the very first minutes of February 24, Putin has been waging this war with complete disregard for how many of his own people he loses and how many of ours he kills. Russian commanders are not merely inclined to act brutally – they receive explicit orders allowing them to kill however they please. That is why Russia’s war is so bloody, taking lives both on the front lines and in peaceful Ukrainian cities. That is why Russia not only kills adults but also abducts children and tries to re-educate them so that they will take part in the war once they grow up. Russian commanders are now sending into assaults against Ukrainian positions those who were still in elementary school in 2014, when Crimea was occupied and Russia’s hybrid aggression against Ukraine began. This is a long war, and the main thing Russia is trying to do is to preserve its ability to wage it even longer, and not only against Ukraine. That is why we appreciate so deeply that so many forces and leaders are working for peace right now. Ukraine is grateful to the United States, to every American heart, and personally to President Trump for the assistance that – starting with the Javelins – has been saving Ukrainian lives. We thank everyone in Europe, in the G7, and in the G20 who is helping us defend life. It is important to preserve the support. It is important not to forget the main goal – to stop Russia’s war and prevent it from ever igniting again. And to achieve that, peace must be dignified. In just this one year alone, Putin has already sent hundreds of thousands of his own people to their deaths in order to occupy one percent or several percent of Ukrainian territory. And this is what Russia is doing – a country that already has more internationally recognized territory than any other state in the world. This nature of the war, and Russia’s attempts to prolong it, show that for them this is not about territory or about how one neighbor or another behaves toward Russia, but about Russia’s “right to wage war,” its “right to subjugate” others, and a fundamental absence of security. That is why we work so carefully on every point, on every step toward peace. Everything must work out the right way – so that this war is truly ended and so that it does not happen again. Thank you to everyone who is helping! Thank you, America! Thank you, Europe! I am proud of our people. Glory to Ukraine!