The following is adapted from a speech former US Ambassador to Ukraine William B. Taylor gave at the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy in Ukraine on September 1, 2025. It is printed here with permission.
Today, Ukraine is three and a half years into the worst fighting Europe has seen since World War II, and that’s not counting the time since Russia’s initial invasion in 2014. In 2022, Ukrainians repelled the Russian invaders’ massive attack, pushed Russian forces back, and for the past two years have fought to a virtual standstill. Yes, Russia is grinding out small advances, at great cost in soldiers’ lives, but the Kremlin is not making substantial gains. Ukrainian soldiers have stopped the invader. In 2023, Russian forces illegally occupied 18 percent of Ukraine; two years later and at horrific cost, they illegally occupy 19 percent. The Russians are not winning.
Ukrainians have earned the respect and admiration of the Western world. Europeans know that they are defending them from Russia. Americans know that they are defending Western values and are fighting one of the United States’ two main adversaries. Many Americans see how Ukrainians have resisted the Russians and support them in their fight. We, Americans, have seen how Ukrainians innovate, how they improvise, how they resist, how they suffer, how they endure, how they defend their country and their values. We haven’t had to fight for our existence and our values in this way since World War II. Ukrainians are an inspiring example to Western democracies around the world. Let me tell you a bit about why Americans support Ukrainians in this terrible war.
Over the past three and a half years, I have spoken to thousands of Americans all over the United States—in small towns and big cities, in community colleges and Ivy League universities, in town halls, community centers, on Zoom and in person. We discuss Ukraine and the US role in supporting Ukraine in its fight.
In those discussions with Americans across my country, I hear four broad reasons why they support Ukraine. First and most passionately, they express outrage at Russian atrocities and war crimes. It’s just wrong to kill civilians, to kidnap children, to torture people, to attack apartments, hospitals, schools, churches. Americans, who know Ukraine was attacked without provocation, are deeply offended by the criminal, amoral actions of the aggressor.
Voice of Ukraine 