Dear Elected Representative,

It is right to stand by Ukraine in this war. It is a situation of unusual and absolute moral simplicity.

Ukraine was attacked in violation of international law, and is defending itself. Russian occupiers in Ukraine commit war crimes, which cease only when territory is liberated. Russian propagandists say outright the goal of the elimination of the Ukrainian nation and people. The stated goal is genocide.

And we as a nation have done well by supporting Ukraine. It is a situation of unusual strategic gain and puts American interests first by having a debilitated and defeated Russian Federation on Europe’s and NATO’s borders, as well as having a resource rich Ukraine grateful for our support. This is in addition to the simple moral imperative, and the assistance assurance noted in the Budapest memorandum.

Ukrainians are fulfilling the entire NATO mission by themselves, absorbing and halting a full-scale Russian attack, an attack that is unequivocally in violation of  the following promises made by the Russian Federation in 1994:

• Respect the signatory's independence and sovereignty in the existing borders.
• Refrain from the threat or the use of force against the signatory.
• Refrain from economic coercion designed to subordinate to their own interest the exercise by the signatory of the rights inherent in its sovereignty and thus to secure advantages of any kind.

Ukrainians are deterring a Chinese offensive in the Pacific by demonstrating how difficult such an operation would be, and by continuing to provide Ukraine with unwavering and increasing military and humanitarian assistance, we provide the ultimate deterrence to Chinese military aggression in the region. This again puts American interests first.

With their blood sacrifice, the Ukrainian people are defending the notion of an international order governed by law and rules, making war and American intervention elsewhere less likely.
And there is an important way that doing right and doing well come together.

Ukraine was attacked as a democracy, and is defending itself as a democracy. It is historically unusual for a dictatorship to try to destroy a democracy by force. That Putin's Russia is trying to do so reminds us that we are at an historical turning point. On one side of the scale are Russia's ruthlessness, barbarism, and resources. On the other side are Ukrainians' sacrifice and our support. Their sacrifice will be enough, keeping American sons and daughters, mothers and fathers from their sacrifices in death and hardship, if our assistance will be enough to ensure the defeat at the hands of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Historians will look back at these two years of war and marvel at how much the Ukrainians did for their allies. I expect they will describe this turning point for what it was, including its moral dimension and your response.

What can't be predicted is which way matters will turn, since that depends upon you and what you do in the next few days. We have an unusual chance to do well by doing right. Will we take it?

Sincerely,