What do we owe Ukraine?

There is more than at first may meet the eye in the query, “what do we owe Ukraine?”.  

First, at the level of basic humanity, there is the feeling of horror at seeing innocents slaughtered.  This is about the graphic reality of war and “what if that were me”.  And, it is driven by a fundamental compassion and empathy for others.  This leads to a desire to provide support and assistance, either in person or through donations. So, we support our governments in doing so and do so ourselves. The better angels of our natures at work.

Second, we are viscerally reminded of the power and agency that derives from the desire for freedom and self-determination.  However, flawed, the best available structure for realizing this at the collective and nation-state level is Democracy.  We have seen Ukrainians give up their homes, belongings, and livelihoods, tear apart their families, and literally sacrifice their lives. This is done with indescribable pain, yet with force and stunningly powerful determination and intentionality.  So, out of a desire for Democracy and love of country, we are seeing many Ukrainians give up everything. Democracy is an enabling mechanism and love of country is at base love of the community of people that comprise a country.  More better angels. 

So, in addition to providing material support we owe Ukraine a debt beyond measure for reminding us of what some of us have the good fortune and luck to enjoy - freedom, self-determination, and Democracy.  We have been roused out of our complacency.  We have had our pettiness, partisanship, and narcissism challenged. We are called to care and act about Ukraine but also about our own community, our own country, our own Democracy.

This is a debt to Ukraine, born of blood, sacrifice, and the desire for freedom that can be partially repaid by tending to and nurturing our own democracy and supporting it around the world.  Democracy is both rare and fragile and only sustains through constant effort and determination. The drive for concentrated power in our species is strong and relentless and so must we be in defending Democracy.  

A growing group of European countries have responded to this challenge directly by taking in and caring for Ukrainian refugees.  These include: Poland, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Moldova, Germany, France, Ireland, and the United Kingdom.  This assistance has been provided by governments, non-governmental organizations, and individuals.  Direct military support has also been provided by Belgium, Canada, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Britain and the United States.  The angels at work yet again. 

In feeling and thinking about the horror of what is happening in Ukraine, and the difficulty of expression, I recall this:

“Words strain,

Crack and sometimes break, under the burden,

Under the tension, slip, slide, perish,

Decay with imprecision, will not stay in place, 

Will not stay still.” 

T.S. Eliott, Burnt Norton

And, we can see the tragedy and despair in Ukraine in this portion of The Second Coming by Yeats:

“Turning and turning in the widening gyre   

The falcon cannot hear the falconer;

Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;

Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,

The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere   

The ceremony of innocence is drowned;

The best lack all conviction, while the worst   

Are full of passionate intensity.”

But, the Ukrainians have turned this on its head - they are the ones full of passionate intensity and more, and the Russian army lacks the conviction.

Finally, a section from “A Blessing - for Love” (David Mead-Fox) can be seen as a challenge and invitation for all of us as we see the pain, loss, and destruction in Ukraine.  For and with Ukraine:

“May we find and nurture the

touchstones of love:

empathy and compassion; 

first towards ourselves, 

and with this foundation, 

towards others.

May we see that this is what

is asked of us.

May we see that this is

where we belong.”

So yes, the children of Darkness (Nieibuhr) are all around but so are the children of Light.