American artists, activists, and scholars are urging Congress to provide funding assistance to Ukraine, as Russia prepares for a new offensive, warning that if the Russian army breaks through, it will be the fault of the United States.
Thirty-six American artists, scholars, and activists, including historian Timothy Snyder, actors Sean Penn, Barbra Streisand, the band Imagine Dragons, and astronaut Scott Kelly, have signed the appeal to legislators, according to CNN.
“Ukrainians are fighting for their existence. On territory that Russia occupies, it tortures Ukrainian citizens, kidnaps Ukrainian children and murders Ukrainian leaders. On territory Russia can reach with its weapons, it strikes civilians and rescue workers. Russian missiles, drones and bombs destroy churches and monuments to the Holocaust. Russian occupation threatens Ukraine’s Muslims, the Crimean Tatars,” the appeal states.
The document notes that Russian leaders openly declare their goal is the destruction of the Ukrainian state and the Ukrainian people.
“Russian leaders say openly that their goal is the destruction of the Ukrainian state and the elimination of Ukrainians as a people. Russian propagandists threaten genocide almost every day. Right now, Russia is using missiles and glide bombs to destroy the ancient and beautiful city of Kharkiv, once home to 1.5 million people, just as Russia destroyed Mariupol, Aleppo and Grozny,” the signatories state.
According to them, Ukrainians are also fighting “for our safety and for everyone’s freedom,” and by resisting Russian dictatorship, they demonstrate that democracy can defend itself.
“By defending their borders, they are protecting the international order and holding off chaos. By fighting Russia alone, they protect Europe. By showing how hard offensive operations are, Ukrainians make a Chinese war in the Pacific less likely. By fighting a conventional war against a nuclear power, they are making nuclear proliferation and nuclear war less likely,” the appeal reads.
