On the day of writing this, Ukraine has endured 1340 days of war. And for me, every missile fired hits close to home. Sometimes literally, as a missile recently hit a factory in a town where my family had lived for 15 years. It also hits close to home when I see streets I used to drive down full of craters from explosions. The war feels close when I turn on Instagram and see a missile hit another apartment building, or another blurred-out image of people who were killed simply for being Ukrainian. As someone who grew up in Ukraine, I could not see more clearly the importance that this war has on the world, the United States and even to us at Calvin University.

When it comes to the world, the impact is obvious. Hundreds of thousands of people have died and millions of people have been displaced from their homes. There has been a large-scale environmental impact, oil prices have risen and grain supply lanes that feed millions of people have been blocked. So much more devastation is felt across the world and will be felt for a long time. International organizations have tried countless ways to respond, yet russia has continued its war of aggression, has blocked resolutions with its veto in the UN Security Council, and seems willing to continue its war for as long as it takes.

The importance of this war in the United States is also significant. Not only is Ukraine an ally of the US, but the war is also, possibly more importantly, a major test of the influence of the United States across the world. After the collapse of the soviet union, the United States became the sole superpower. With that comes a lot of responsibility. But a lot of the strength of a superpower, especially when wars have been so discouraged as they have been since WWII, is built on trust. In 1994, the United States, the UK, and russia signed the Budapest Memorandum. The Memorandum stated that if Ukraine gave up all its nuclear weapons (at the time it was the world’s third largest nuclear arsenal), the three other states would agree to respect Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and borders. The Budapest Memorandum included security assurances that were intended to protect Ukraine’s borders if the time came that they were violated. As a signatory to the Budapest Memorandum, the United States has an obligation to uphold its commitments and provide Ukraine with the necessary equipment to protect its borders. Violating our agreement threatens the trust that other countries have put in agreements with the United States, which also threatens its place as the world’s superpower. The United States should follow through with its agreement and protect Ukraine’s border. 

Now, many might wonder, how does the war in Ukraine have anything to do with Calvin University? Calvin University claims that it “equips students to think deeply, act justly and live wholeheartedly as Christ’s agents of renewal in the world.” I know you hear those words on repeat, but that mission can have a real impact on the world we all share. When it comes to thinking deeply, we can look at the horrific historical realities of the region and see that russia has been trying to erase Ukrainian heritage for centuries. We can also think deeply in an empathetic sense and acknowledge that Ukraine is the victim of russia’s aggression and that Ukraine should not have to suffer because of that. Thinking deeply naturally leads to acting justly. When we have identified the victim and know the course of action that must be taken, we need to act on it. For Ukraine, it means advocating for continued support, donating when possible to humanitarian efforts, and possibly even opening our houses to help those affected by this war. There are countless ways that someone could act justly in this sense; the hard part is actually doing it. The final part of Calvin’s mission is to live wholeheartedly as Christ’s agents of renewal in the world. When I think about this, the word “reconciliation” comes to mind. In order to renew Ukraine, we will need to reconcile people with each other, reconcile with nature by growing back the forests that russia has destroyed, and we need to act with the care and love that Jesus taught us. Our mission teaches us not only to remember Ukraine, but also to be active in seeking justice and peace. Слава Україні!