There once was a country that held the world’s third-largest nuclear arsenal. In the interest of “peace,” the U.S. persuaded that country to give up its arsenal to Russia in exchange for “security guarantees.” Soon after, they lost their territory of Crimea with no intervention from any of the parties who signed what is now the meaningless Budapest Memorandum.

In the interest of “peace” they carried on but under new threat for more invasion. That invasion came and it came again from Russia. Ever since they have been fighting for their very existence.

Many Americans have fought and died alongside them to this day. Many are MIA. The U.S. has provided support but not quite enough for them to really win. And now they are being told they don’t want “peace.” Support has stopped. To the rest of the world the U.S. has sided with Russia.

It seems like giving up their nuclear arsenal was not the smart bet. Why should any other country do so now? Would we? Would we give up Alaska? Wouldn’t we fight, fight, fight against such an aggressor?

The country, of course, is Ukraine. Although they are a struggling young democracy, I have nothing but the greatest respect for their sacrifice and their cause. They have shown us from the beginning the commitment ­– and the cost — of believing in, choosing and fighting for “peace.”