By PATRICIA GREENE

Nine-plus million people in Ukraine out of 43 million (so about a quarter of the population) are ethnic Russians, and many consider themselves also to be dual citizens of Russia, as well as Ukraine. Most of them speak Russian as their everyday language, and live close to the 1,000mile shared border with Russia, as well as along the Black Sea in the south.

The truth is that in 2014 before the Russian invasion happened, Russia gave the world every chance for peace. They proposed negotiations and a summit. They explained the long historical relationship between their contiguous countries, and that until recently Ukraine had been a region of Russia.

They talked of the recent interference and financial support of Ukraine, especially by the U.S. They showed how they had been trying since before 2014 to solve this problem, including a long conversation between Putin and the head of Ukraine at the time. Backed by the U.S., Ukraine said no go!

The U.S. has been the main perpetrator of this violence by sending huge amounts of money for war and agitating the Europeans to join them. And since many people in Ukraine are ethnic Russians and wanted Russia to protect them as they were being slaughtered, our sending so much money to support the Ukrainian side and tip the scales against Russia seems unfair and even dangerous!

Let the Europeans and the Russians, who are most affected by this, work it out to their satisfaction. But no, we went in with lots of money and war equipment to unfairly tip the scales in our war industry ‘s favor.

Back in 2014 our country was cheering on the violence. Remember Victoria Nuland handing out cookies? The EU and Russia were seriously not wanting this war before it started, but the U.S, with its ever hungry war industries, was pushing hard for war at all costs, and sending our tax money to get it going. When I am part of the country that has agitated to start a far away war that has killed over 10,000 people, I feel that I, and all of us, are responsible to do whatever we can to stop it.

One local thing can include is joining the group advocating for peace as we stand out with signs on the Greenfield Common each Saturday morning from 11 to noon.

Patricia Greene lives in Greenfield.