“To put it bluntly, Russia invaded Ukraine. Russia illegally occupies Crimea. Russia provoked and now supports a separatist movement in eastern Ukraine that did not previously exist. Russia is the aggressor, and Ukraine is the victim. Modern Ukraine represents the idea in Europe that each country has the sovereign ability to determine its own path and to decide with whom it has relations and how and by whom it is governed. No outside actor (in this case Russia) should have a veto on membership or closer relations with organizations like the European Union (EU) or North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). In many ways, the future viability of the trans-Atlantic community will be decided in the Donbas, the region in eastern Ukraine where the fighting has been taking place. It is in America’s interest that Ukraine remains independent and sovereign and maintains the ability to choose its own destiny without outside interference. …
“The U.S. can and should help Ukraine by continuing (and expanding when necessary) economic sanctions against Russia over its ongoing aggression in Ukraine and annexation of Crimea; continuing military training programs and providing advanced weaponry to the Ukrainians; providing diplomatic support by issuing a nonrecognition statement, based on the 1940 Welles Declaration, on Russia’s annexation of Crimea; pressuring Russia to live up to its commitments under the Minsk II ceasefire agreement; and helping Ukraine to uproot entrenched corruption and cronyism within the economy and government system. …
“The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 authorized up to $350 million in security assistance to Ukraine through the end of 2018. The administration should use a healthy portion of the authorized security assistance to provide weaponry to Ukraine. The exact types of weapons needed are best determined by experts on the ground with detailed knowledge of the local security situation, the capabilities of the Ukrainian military, and the capabilities of both the separatists and the Russian forces supporting their attacks. …
“Recent events in eastern Ukraine have confirmed what many already knew: Ukraine will provide an early test for the Trump administration. How the new administration and Congress act now will set the tone for the next four years. Russia’s behavior is a direct violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and shows that Moscow has no genuine interest in bringing the conflict to a peaceful resolution. …”
– Report by The Heritage Foundation titled “The Trump Administration and the 115th Congress Should Support Ukraine,” written by Luke Coffey and Daniel Kochis, and released on April 11. The full report is available at http://www.heritage.org/global-politics/report/the-trump-administration-and-the-115th-congress-should-support-ukraine