Dear Editor:
I need to respond to the letter of Jaroslaw Sawka (March 21) regarding the question “Who lost Crimea.” He has taken upon himself to lecture me to be “more careful, cautious, and informed.”
First, it would seem that he should learn first how to apply these precepts to himself before lecturing others. Second, I do not recall asking for his opinions in as much as his expertise in these matters unknown. What I did ask for is some evidence, still not forthcoming, from Messrs. Mirchuk and Martyniuk regarding their claim that former President Barack Obama’s administration blocked Ukraine’s military response to the Russian annexation of Crimea.
So, here are some facts as we know them.
First, the decision not to respond militarily to Mr. Putin was a decision made by the Ukrainian government and not by President Obama. There were elements of Ukrainian military that were ready to engage but they were not authorized to do so. Under such circumstances, Mr. Obama’s decision to send the U.S. military when Ukrainians declined to take a risk would have been pointless.
Second, Mr. Trump’s attitudes are well known. At the G-7 summit meeting he questioned the need for resisting the Russian takeover on the basis of an argument that most people in Crimea speak Russian. He was “rewarded” by the Russian media with a statement that “Trump is ours.”
In light of all of the above, please let us not pretend that Mr. Trump, being a friend of Ukraine’s enemy Mr. Putin, can be anything but Ukraine’s enemy as well.
Dr. Oles Lomacky
Washington