KYIV, Ukraine — It's a shame that Ukraine was largely absent from talks earlier this month among American, European and Russian diplomats. Especially since it is our future that is at stake — and Kyiv's asks might come as a surprise.
Our country is not brimming with hope about a Western savior or a NATO rescue in the face of a Russian invasion. What we want from our Western partners that share our desire for us to be a true democracy free from Russia's yoke is help in preparing for war so we might stand a chance if Moscow invades.
While we Ukrainians appreciate that American leaders take pains to say, "Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine," that's not exactly happening. Our voice is often drowned out amid the rhetorical volleys being traded by the United States, its NATO allies and Russia.
To be clear: Talks aren't simply "talks" when you have a gun to your head. And that's what's happening to us in Ukraine now.
While the talks were being conducted in Geneva and Brussels, Russia began transferring military helicopters to Ukraine's borders and engaged in new military drills in Russian regions neighboring Ukraine. This came after Moscow massed around 100,000 troops on the border; it is also reportedly moving military equipment and personnel toward the border from other parts of Russia.
Whether he invades or not, we know that President Vladimir Putin is most likely using this troop buildup to ultimately force Europe and the U.S. into a renegotiation of the power balance on the continent.
But we are not a political football. Western leaders should remember that the real victim in this story is Ukraine. It is troubling that these talks are ostensibly to address the security concerns of Russia, the aggressor, even though ours should come first. Western leaders should avoid a situation where avenues for dialogue outnumber avenues to deter Russia — and that's the situation right now.
Of course, diplomacy is critical, and we all know how realpolitik often runs the show. But it's also naïve to assume that Russia will be negotiating in good faith. The U.S., for instance, has accused Moscow of sending saboteurs into eastern Ukraine to stage an incident that could provide Putin with a pretext for invasion.