More than nine years into the conflict in Ukraine, no end is in sight. Russia’s direct intervention last year dramatically increased deaths and devastation. President Biden and Sen. Angus King have called Russia’s actions “unprovoked.” A review of the last 30 years of U.S.-Russian history is helpful.

In the 1990s, President Clinton initiated the expansion of NATO. U.S. experts called the decision “a policy error of historic proportions.” Russia warned that it would not tolerate what it saw as aggression. The coup in 2014, which Putin has accused the U.S. of supporting, further exacerbated tensions and led to civil war between east and west factions within Ukraine. The U.S. started to train and arm Ukranian armed forces that year.

For nearly 30 years, Russia has warned that expanding NATO to the border of Russia was a line that shouldn’t be crossed. The U.S. has maintained a foreign policy direction to contain Russia both militarily and economically. The war in Ukraine has all the appearance of a proxy war with the U.S against Russia.

Our elected officials have done this in our names. Condemning Russia’s actions is justified and appropriate but refusing to hold our elected officials accountable for policies and the U.S. role in getting us to this place is neither.

The winners in our latest war are U.S. energy producers and military contractors. We’ll replace energy from the destroyed Nord Stream Pipelines and sell weapons to replace NATO stockpiles sent to aide Ukraine.

Jerry Provencher
Bath