It has been more than four years since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, escalating a conflict that began in 2014. Since the beginning, the United States has been heavily involved in both funding and diplomacy. But the intervening years and growing uncertainty have caused the support to wane.
Americans can reasonably disagree over the extent of U.S. involvement. But Republicans and conservatives alike would err in appearing neutral on the fundamental question of Russian aggression. This fact remains clear: Russia is not our friend.
The invasion of Ukraine occurred more than a year and a half before the Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. While distinct, both conflicts represent a chance for America to give a clear-eyed response. Each is an opportunity for conservatives to appropriately respond to aggression, defend national sovereignty, and stand up to terrorist organizations and authoritarian aggressors.
Yet, the political Right has responded differently to Ukraine than it has to Israel. This is disappointing. While the reactions do not require identical policy responses, they do require consistency of principle.
Consider President Donald Trump’s recent statements about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. On Oct. 10, Trump said he thinks the Ukrainian president should be replaced with “a new leader who can make a deal,” criticizing Ukraine for its strikes on Russian oil refineries. Zelensky is responding to continued Russian attacks. On Oct. 18, Trump posted about the war on Truth Social, saying in part, “Zelenskyy doesn’t care … he doesn’t want to end this war, and probably never did.”
These statements place the onus for ending the conflict on Ukraine, which conflicts with reality.
It should not need to be said that Russia invaded Ukraine. Zelensky did not make the choice to begin a war. Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the invasion.
Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and other members of this administration have repeatedly treated Zelensky as the major obstacle to peace while appearing more understanding of or accommodating toward Putin. Zelensky is treated as ungrateful or undeserving of American support.
Disdain for the Ukrainian president is nothing new. That attitude has been evident in the Trump administration’s approach to the war. And many Trump supporters are more than willing to carry the same contempt.
Opposing Russia doesn’t require support for the domestic policies of Zelensky. It doesn’t mean he should be shielded from criticism as a person or a leader. But it does require acknowledging Ukraine’s right to independence. It requires a commitment to protecting American security and interests both at home and abroad.
People carry their belongings as they leave their office following a Russian air attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, Oct. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)
" data-image-caption="
People carry their belongings as they leave their office following Russian air attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, Oct. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)
" data-large-file="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Kyiv-Ukraine.jpg?w=700" src="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Kyiv-Ukraine.jpg?w=700" alt="People carry their belongings as they leave their office following Russian air attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, Oct. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)" class="wp-image-4771414" srcset="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Kyiv-Ukraine.jpg 700w, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Kyiv-Ukraine.jpg?resize=300,200 300w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px">
People carry their belongings as they leave their office following a Russian air attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, Oct. 19, 2026. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo)
And it does mean that foreign policy should never be driven by personality or whether dictators flatter our commander in chief. Ukrainians are fighting for their right to exist as a country separate from Russia. This goal is one Americans should readily support.
Whether it’s Israel or Ukraine, Americans should distinguish between skepticism about foreign intervention and the kind of indifference displayed by some GOP leaders. We shouldn’t minimize Putin’s responsibility for invading in the first place. Neither should it treat Ukraine as an inconvenience simply for acknowledging its earned status as the victim. Israel and Ukraine aren’t identical. But the principles that fuel our response to aggression can’t change depending on superficial political sympathies or the fluctuating moods of our leader.
During a time when antisemitism has grown and attitudes toward Ukraine have shifted, conservatives need to stand firm. The principles that guide our responses at home should do the same when we look at conflicts beyond our borders. Our commitment to freedom and opposition to aggression should not change just because we have fickle leaders. Neither should they change with the political winds.
RUSSIA STILL HITTING UKRAINIAN ENERGY SITES DESPITE TRUMP CLAIM OF CEASEFIRE, ZELENSKY SAYS
We are not abandoning an “America First” mentality by offering either moral or financial support to Ukraine as it fights for its sovereignty. We do not have to adopt the policies of another country to stand with it against aggressors working to consume an entire nation.
There is a real problem with how this administration treats Ukraine. The U.S. stands as a beacon of democracy and moral rightness in the world. Our leaders should have the intestinal fortitude to ensure that, when this conflict ends, we can still say that we do.
Continue reading...
[ H/T Washington Examiner ]
