My friend, a writer, texted last night from his trench to say a gentle goodbye. His unit is expecting an attack anytime, but they do not have the heavy artillery they need to repel the assault.

I am thousands of miles away from Ukraine, on a six-city lecture tour across the United States, addressing public meetings and briefing members of Congress.

But, as with that text, the war stays with us Ukrainians wherever we may travel. No matter how comfortable the hotel, or pleasant the weather, rest is impossible when back home, the delay in delivering crucial arms is costing the lives of our friends, our relatives, our countrymen.

This 60 billion US dollar package has been stalled for months by what, for Americans, is domestic politics; for us Ukrainians, it is an urgent matter of life and death.

In my public and private meetings here, I am frequently asked: Since Ukraine cannot expect to defeat Russia on the battlefield, shouldn’t it accept a land deal for peace? Won’t more arms just mean more death?

Indeed, Ukraine has seen far too much death – I know, because my colleagues and I see it daily.

Source: Why Ukraine’s Fight Must Continue | Institute for War and Peace Reporting