A Visit to Kyiv to Mark Ukraine’s 35 Years of Independence

Kyiv, Ukraine — August 24 marked the 35th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence from the evil empire that was the Soviet Union. I was honored to be in Kyiv with my friend, former Vice President Mike Pence, to speak at some of the anniversary events. We also met with Ukrainian government, business, civic, and spiritual leaders to get their take on the ongoing war with Russia.

I spoke with President Volodymyr Zelensky about the challenges Ukraine faces. He said he is deeply thankful for U.S. and European support in all facets of the war and especially with respect to military arms and equipment. But he was also blunt about Ukraine’s lack of Patriot missiles and other high-end interceptors. They are desperately needed, as Russian missiles continue to target civilians and critical civilian infrastructure nightly. But he understands that with U.S. military stockpiles dwindling, Ukraine cannot get everything it needs. “If we could get just 5 percent of the U.S. Patriots produced, it would mean safety for our people,” he told me.

Kyiv, Ukraine — August 24 marked the 35th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence from the evil empire that was the Soviet Union. I was honored to be in Kyiv with my friend, former Vice President Mike Pence, to speak at some of the anniversary events. We also met with Ukrainian government, business, civic, and spiritual leaders to get their take on the ongoing war with Russia.

I spoke with President Volodymyr Zelensky about the challenges Ukraine faces. He said he is deeply thankful for U.S. and European support in all facets of the war and especially with respect to military arms and equipment. But he was also blunt about Ukraine’s lack of Patriot missiles and other high-end interceptors. They are desperately needed, as Russian missiles continue to target civilians and critical civilian infrastructure nightly. But he understands that with U.S. military stockpiles dwindling, Ukraine cannot get everything it needs. “If we could get just 5 percent of the U.S. Patriots produced, it would mean safety for our people,” he told me.