Eleven Years of Russia's Genocidal War on Ukraine

And the betrayal by the U.S.

Foreign leaders from Spain, Iceland, Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania, Canada, Estonia, Norway, Sweden stand alongside Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky. (Ukrainian Presidential Press)

As we mark the emotional third year of Russia’s full-scale invasion, I want to remind everyone of what we all saw three years ago. The sky over Kyiv and all Ukrainian cities lit up as Russian missiles rained down, tanks rolled across the borders, and millions of lives were shattered overnight. But the war didn’t start in 2022—it began 11 years ago, in 2014, when Russia invaded and illegally annexed Crimea, then occupied parts of Donbas. The world watched, condemned, and moved on, while Ukraine endured the horrors of Russia’s genocidal ambitions.

Bucha. Mariupol. Irpin. Crimea. Kherson. These names, and countless others, are now etched into history as sites of unimaginable atrocities. Russia’s forces didn’t just invade; they unleashed terror. They bombed hospitals, maternity wards, and schools. They systematically raped women and children, executed entire families, and obliterated residential neighborhoods with chilling precision. Daily missile strikes continue to target Ukrainian homes, ensuring that no place, no family, no child is ever truly safe. This isn't "collateral damage"—it's deliberate, state-sanctioned genocidal mass murder.

For 11 years, Russia has operated concentration camps in occupied territories, disappearing Ukrainians who dared to resist. Activists, journalists, mayors, teachers—rounded up, tortured, murdered. Mass graves, filled with bodies bearing signs of execution, continue to be uncovered in liberated regions. These are the worst imaginable atrocities—the kind most people can’t even comprehend unless they’ve seen it firsthand. And for every horror exposed, countless more remain hidden behind Russian lines.

But perhaps the most sinister crime is Russia’s mass abduction of Ukrainian children. Tens of thousands have been kidnapped—ripped from their families, their homes, and their culture. The kidnapping itself is horrific, but Russia's objective is even more sinister: erasing their Ukrainian identity. These children are subjected to systematic indoctrination—taught to forget their language, their families, and their heritage—and raised to believe they are Russian. This is cultural genocide, plain and simple, designed to wipe out future generations of Ukrainians.

And how has the U.S. responded? Predictably. Donald Trump calls Zelenskyy a "dictator," parroting Kremlin propaganda while blaming Ukraine for its own genocide—a genocide Russia openly brags about. Russian officials don’t hide their intentions; they speak openly of "denazification" and the need to eliminate all Ukrainians as a people. This is nothing new. Stalin tried to wipe out Ukraine during the Holodomor, the man-made famine that killed millions. Now, Putin follows the same genocidal playbook.

The United Nations has devolved into a stage for performative hand-wringing. On the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the United States introduced a resolution calling for an end to the war—conspicuously avoiding any mention of Russian aggression. In a striking display, the final vote saw the U.S., Russia, Belarus, Hungary, North Korea, and Israel aligned against Ukraine, while even Iran and China opted to abstain.

This capitulation was entirely foreseeable. Trump’s first term laid the groundwork for Russia’s aggression: undermining NATO, siding with Putin over U.S. intelligence at the Helsinki summit, attempting to withdraw troops from Germany, and extorting Ukraine for political favors. Now, he’s pushing for a backroom deal with Moscow to sacrifice Ukraine’s sovereignty and steal its wealth. His chosen venue for this betrayal? Saudi Arabia—a fitting stage for transactional diplomacy that prioritizes autocratic interests over democratic principles.

Trump’s so-called "plan" is nothing more than the surrender and theft of Ukrainian resources. He signals readiness to hand over illegally occupied territories, block Ukraine’s NATO aspirations, and leave the country dismembered. For Trump, "peace" means rewarding genocidal aggression and granting Putin everything he wants—while blaming Ukraine for daring to resist annihilation.

The absurdity of negotiating with Russia cannot be overstated. Russia invaded a sovereign nation. Russia is committing genocide. Russia can end the war immediately—simply by retreating across the border. Anything less than full Ukrainian victory is a green light for future invasions—in Moldova, Georgia, the Baltics, Poland. Putin’s imperial ambitions will not stop with Ukraine, and Trump’s actions will only invite more bloodshed.

This isn’t peace—it’s capitulation. It’s betrayal. It’s a direct threat to every democracy and global stability.

But there is something that can be done. Unlike in World War II, Europe is no longer fractured and war-weary. It is wealthy, integrated, and militarily capable. While Trump abandons Ukraine and undermines NATO, Europe must step up—dramatically increasing weapons production, strengthening defense cooperation, and integrating Ukraine into European security structures. It’s time for Europe to lead—to build alternative intelligence networks, reinforce counterintelligence, and prepare for a future without American leadership.

Because make no mistake: Trump’s alignment with Russia and far-right extremists isn’t just a betrayal of Ukraine—it’s a betrayal of the entire Western world and an attempt to rewrite the international order. His threats to invade NATO countries like Canada and Denmark via Greenland expose the true danger. Under Trump, the U.S. is not just unreliable—it’s an active enabler of authoritarian aggression and a potential danger.

Europe must act now—or risk facing Russia’s tanks and missiles in more cities.

For those reading this please 🙏 call your representatives and demand continued support for Ukraine. Refuse to let Russia and Trump to whitewash genocide and war crimes. History is watching—and future generations will remember who stood for democracy and who surrendered to tyranny.

Slava Ukraini—Слава Україні, Героям слава, and thank you to everyone who continues to stand with Ukraine 💙💛🇺🇦

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