March 11, 2021

A return to civilized debate

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Dear Editor:

Kudos for publishing the two recent think pieces by Slavko Martyniuk and George Woloshyn. Knowing both writers personally, I know their views often diverge. But they’re worth reading precisely because they express themselves coherently, factually and with old-fashioned good writing style. As a society, we could benefit from a return to civilized debate.

Mr. Woloshyn exposes the toxic influence of the oligarchs’ misplaced loyalties to Russia. His well-researched article also skillfully rebuts the otherwise astute Tucker Carlson as well as U.S. libertarian circles, both of whom claim that any form of censorship is always backward. These critics ignore Ukraine’s security needs to control hostile airwaves when in a life-and-death struggle with a determined enemy.

Mr. Martyniuk in turn reminds us that safeguarding Ukraine’s energy security lies in deeds, not in rhetoric. In other words, support whichever U.S. political party finds the courage to stand up to European short-sighted self-interest. Mr. Martyniuk might have also mentioned the previous administration’s work to create an Eastern European energy coalition to withstand Moscow’s pressure as well as the construction of LNG terminals there to compete with Russian gas. Hopefully, despite the Democrats’ drive to demolish Mr. Trump’s legacy, they have the foresight to spare these shrewd energy initiatives.
In short, neither writer takes a strictly partisan view, but rebukes whichever party is acting to Ukraine’s detriment. How refreshing to lift the debate above partisan politics!

Alexandria, Va.

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