Address to the honorable people of the Ukraine

February 22, 2022

Dear Honorable citizens of the great nation of the Ukraine

My heart goes out to you when I hear the horrific stories of how your people have been sacrificed in an ugly struggle for geopolitical power between foreign militaries, in a selfish battle for the control of resources by multinational corporations, and I have learned how you have been made victims of numerous plots by fascistic and mercenary forces, cynical players who are determined to use you as an excuse to increase their disgusting power, to take your land, and the products of your labors and to reduce you to a chess piece for their game.

These forces, seen and unseen, want to increase tensions and violence as an opportunity to destroy the rule of law and to compel innocent people in the Ukraine, and around the world, to support policies that they would never support otherwise.

Those people would love to see a conflict like that we saw in Afghanistan or Iraq drag on in the Ukraine, or even to see a world war break out if that would somehow increase their power.

Behind the speech of President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation at the Kremlin, or the speech of Vice President Kamala Harris of the United States at the Munich Security Conference, we can see the classic mud wrestling, jockeying for advantage, that was so painfully evident in the years before the First World War.

Although it is certainly true that, on a case-by-case basis, the actions of the United States can be helpful to some facing chaos in the Ukraine. Nevertheless, ultimately the United States cannot serve a positive role in the region in a military sense, or even in a political sense, and must draw back from this dangerous military buildup, end NATO, and establish a collective security system founded on the principles of the United Nations Charter, one that embraces a true internationalism at this critical moment.

We should have turned our “swords into plowshares” in 1945, but we failed. The manner in which the United States was infected by the imperialism of Great Britain is a sad tale.

I apologize to you, you victims of American foolishness and blindness.

That is what my administration will do: Even if some are disappointed that we cannot support their challenges to Russian imperialism, we hope that they will think rationally and strategically and that they will understand that if the ultimate goal is the Ukraine’s integrity and independence, then building up the strengths of Ukraine, not making it dependent on one global power, or another, is the only solution.

The true solution can only come from the people of the Ukraine and a conflict between the United States, Russia, and Germany (and perhaps Turkey and Poland as well) will not increase independence.

The United States expanded its global presence foolishly after the Soviet Union withdrew from Afghanistan. Now that we have withdrawn from Afghanistan after a devasting twenty-year battle in that country, we Americans must face the profound damage done to our society, our economy, and our basic values caused by this globalist expansion.

In a sense, the United States became the Soviet Union; we are now so unsure of ourselves that we must act confident and arrogant, we must commit ourselves to massive projects that we cannot support because they keep us from having to face our own internal decay, and we cling to a dead ideology, and to sick institutions (universities, newspapers, research institutes and government agencies) that are collapsing before our eyes.

The people of the Ukraine are wise and experienced with the bad habits of great powers throughout history. You know that imperialism is a contagious disease.

The situation in the Donbas could lead to a long-term conflict, like the 30-year war between Russia, Poland and Turkey for control of the Ukraine in the 17th century. This situation must be avoided at all costs.

The United States has gone too far in support for fascistic groups, in interference in your internal affairs, and in propaganda campaigns around the world.

My deep apologies for the impact on your nation of the horrific decay of the systems in the United States that once served a real purpose.

At the same time, I want to speak frankly to you as someone deeply concerned about the Ukraine. I say to you that we must not forget that Russia and Germany both have long traditions of imperialism and their elites also harbor dreams of global power. They are taking notes as they watch American failures and crimes in the Ukraine. But they do not take notes because they want justice for your country. No, both countries contain factions who are interested in extending their own power throughout the region, working together, or competing with each other.

Nor would I trust Poland, Turkey or Italy, or other global institutions that are anxious to sacrifice the Ukraine for their own purposes.

My administration will strive to revive the true internationalism that inspired so many in the 1930s and 1940s and that led to the defeat of fascism.

That internationalism will not be about building new empires.

We are not interested in starting a war in the Ukraine as a way to prop up a military-based United States economy. The economic crutch of war as a means of creating demand in the United States must come to an end if we want to save our planet.

We also are not interested in allowing factions in Russia and Germany with their own imperialist agendas to blame everything on the United States and to try to present themselves as saviors.

We will face the truth with you together, and fear no evil. We will strive for the true interests of Ukrainians and move beyond this hall of lies and falsehoods that have led the entire world astray.