If President Trump and his followers believe Zelensky started this war, then they might as well believe that Pearl Harbor bombed itself, that Poland invaded Germany in 1939, and that the Twin Towers collapsed on their own.
When it comes to international agreements, I see Vladimir Putin treating them like New Year’s resolutions—made to be broken. In invading Ukraine, Putin violated the Budapest Memorandum of 1994, not once but twice: first with the annexation of Crimea in 2014 and again with the full-scale invasion in 2022. Yet, despite these clear violations, I hear people like President Donald Trump claiming that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy started the war. I don’t know whether to laugh or be shocked at such ignorance. Either these people have no knowledge of history, or they are simply losing their memory.
I remember that the Budapest Memorandum was signed on December 5, 1994, by Ukraine, Russia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. It was a simple deal—Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons, and in return, Russia and the other signatories promised to respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and borders. Back then, Ukraine had the third-largest nuclear arsenal in the world. It could have kept those weapons, but it didn’t. It trusted the agreement. Now, I see how that trust was misplaced because Putin trampled on that promise.
I watched as Putin first violated the agreement in 2014 by seizing Crimea. I remember Russian soldiers—without insignias—occupying key locations, while Putin stood before the world and lied, saying they were not his men. The world condemned the invasion, but what did Putin do? He kept going. He fueled the conflict in eastern Ukraine, backing separatists in the Donbas, and I saw how the war slowly escalated. The United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution affirming Ukraine’s territorial integrity, but Putin didn’t care. He took what he wanted, and the world let him get away with it.
Then came 2022, and I watched as Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This wasn’t some “special military operation,” as he called it. This was war. I saw entire cities bombed, hospitals destroyed, and civilians murdered. Millions of Ukrainians fled their homes, while those who stayed fought to defend their country. And yet, even as I watched these horrors unfold, I heard Trump and others blaming Zelenskyy for the war. I don’t know what history book they are reading, but I know for a fact that it’s not based on reality.
I heard Trump call Zelenskyy a “dictator without elections.” I had to shake my head at that one. I wonder if Trump forgot that Ukraine is literally fighting a war. I don’t remember the British holding elections while bombs were raining down on London during World War II. Maybe Churchill should have been called a dictator too? What I do remember is that Ukraine is defending itself against an unprovoked attack, and Zelenskyy has done what any leader would do—fight for his country. But somehow, Trump and his supporters twist the facts and act as if Ukraine is the problem.
I have seen how most world leaders stand by Ukraine. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have both spoken in support of Ukraine, and I know that many U.S. officials also recognize Putin as the aggressor. Even former Vice President Mike Pence, a Republican like Trump, has publicly stated that “Ukraine didn’t start this war. Vladimir Putin did.” That’s not an opinion. That’s a fact. But instead of accepting the truth, some people prefer to spread lies that benefit Putin. I see them shifting the blame, and I recognize this tactic—it’s like the old proverb, “Throwing stones and hiding one’s hand.” Putin started this war, and now his defenders want to pretend someone else is responsible.
I see the danger in these lies. If people believe them, public support for Ukraine will weaken. If public support weakens, Ukraine won’t get the help it needs. And if Ukraine falls, I know what happens next—other aggressors around the world will take notes. If Putin can break international agreements without consequences, what stops China from doing the same in Taiwan? What stops North Korea from ignoring treaties? What stops Iran from expanding its influence? I know that if we let Putin get away with this, we are opening the door for more wars.
That’s why I believe we need to go back to the commitments made in the Budapest Memorandum. The United States and the United Kingdom made a promise to Ukraine. It wasn’t just some empty piece of paper. It was a guarantee. If Russia can violate it, and the world just shrugs, then I have to ask—what’s the point of making agreements at all? If a country can sign a deal one day and break it the next, then every treaty, every peace agreement, every security pledge becomes meaningless.
I watch this war, and I see the stakes. The choices world leaders make right now will determine the future. Will they stand up for Ukraine, or will they let Putin rewrite history? I know what happens when people ignore aggression. I’ve read about it in history books. Appeasement didn’t stop Hitler. Looking the other way won’t stop Putin either.
And yet, I still hear people like Trump blaming Ukraine. I find it ridiculous. It’s like blaming a homeowner for a fire because they tried to stop an arsonist from burning their house down. Putin is the one who started this war. The world knows it. The facts prove it. But I guess for some people, history is just an inconvenience.
I can’t help but wonder—are these people genuinely confused, or are they just pretending not to know? Either way, I suggest they pick up a history book before they embarrass themselves any further.
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