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The humanitarian crisis caused by Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine is a declaration of war not just against Ukrainians but against all people who believe in a free world.
Since the founding of our country, and especially after World War II, the United States of America has taught the world through servant leadership that tyrannical governments are evil. We still remember Adolf Hitler's campaign to end the Jewish people and the Soviet Union's bid to spread Marxism through Russia and Eastern Europe. Today, as a result of Putin's actions, over 5 million Ukrainians have been needlessly forced from their homeland as refugees.
What is America to do? This is the question political pundits have tossed around for weeks now. Meanwhile, the refugee crisis abroad has hit a critical level we can't ignore.
As our allies in countries like Poland, Austria and Slovakia have opened their homes to refugees, some still travel further and seek refuge here in America. While a strategy that will once and for all settle the conflict in their homeland continues to be worked out, we must be willing to accept these brave survivors into our own communities.
As Americans, there is a way we can all assist from our home front by welcoming the 100,000 refugees President Joe Biden's administration agreed to shelter. That's why in my own community of Englewood Cliffs, N.J., where I serve as mayor, we've offered to open our doors to help our Ukrainian brothers and sisters in their time of need.
While it's easy to get caught up and distracted by what's happening nationally and in the world, we can't forget how crucial a role our own local communities play. When refugees come to America, they don't settle next to our leaders in Washington D.C., but here in our own communities. Every time we raise our hands to welcome and host refugees, we provide stability in the lives of people facing traumatic uncertainty.
This is why we need to rally our local leaders to shelter Ukrainian refugees.
Beyond the obvious humanitarian reason we should reach out to Ukrainians as they suffer Russia's unjust and terrifying attack, it's also important to remember two other reasons that prompt us as Americans to intervene.
The first is that Ukraine gave up their nuclear weapons in the 1990s in exchange for the promise that the U.S., U.K. and Russia would provide for their defense. Denuclearization is a critical initiative because these weapons of mass destruction allow even the smallest of countries to pose a major threat to the entire world. If we don't honor that trust by assisting Ukraine now, our word becomes worthless.
The second reason is because totalitarian regimes like the Kremlin prey on economically disadvantaged populations like those in the separatist regions of Ukraine to gain support for expanding their borders. In a recent poll from The Washington Post, those in these regions were indifferent to whether they lived under Ukrainian or Russian rule, just so long as they could feed their families. With Russia at the door, presenting itself as wealthy, powerful and victorious, it's easy for them to lure the vulnerable to their side. If that happens, the result would be a devastating takeover by a tyrannical government that cannot be trusted.
Ukraine needs to know that we will stand with them as allies in this trial and that no matter how hard Russia threatens them, the values of a free society are worth fighting for and maintaining. There is hope and it isn't in joining Putin's cult of personality.
If the American ideal of servant leadership is to endure, we must continually demonstrate that Ukrainians can count on us to stand up to aggression and provide aid wherever we can.
You don't have to be a large and spacious city to donate your time. All you need is an open heart and willingness to help your fellow human. I encourage you to contact your local leaders and urge them to welcome Ukrainian refugees to your community. They are our allies and deserve to be offered a place of respite and hope after enduring such hardship. This is an action we can all be involved in today, from our own homes. While the gesture may appear small in comparison to the gravity of this war, we have an opportunity now to make a direct impact in the lives of the children, women and men who have lost everything and are looking for shelter. That is an opportunity we cannot ignore.
America has long cherished the traditions of protecting the vulnerable and providing a new start for the downtrodden. And as the situation abroad continues to unravel, we at home must continue to do our part to show that this way of life we claim as our own is worth believing in. We must demonstrate that the spirit of America is strong and we will protect the values we cherish. That extends to assisting those who are risking their lives to fight for freedom. That's the only way we will restore true and lasting peace in Ukraine and the world.
Mario M. Kranjac is the mayor of Englewood Cliffs, N.J. He is the son of immigrants, a venture capitalist, corporate attorney, husband and father.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
