1. United States
2. Ga.
3. Letter

Protecting Ukraine's sovereignty is of paramount importance in any negotiations to end the war. Ukraine's territorial integrity and right to self-determination must be upheld without concessions to Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea or recognition of its proxies in eastern Ukraine. Any lasting peace settlement requires Russia to fully withdraw its forces from all occupied territories of Ukraine. Furthermore, Kyiv must have a seat at the negotiating table as an equal partner, as decisions impacting Ukraine's future cannot be made without its participation. Attempting to dictate terms to Ukraine from outside would be an unacceptable violation of its sovereignty as an independent nation. A sustainable peace can only be achieved through a negotiated agreement that respects Ukraine's borders, democracy, and freedom to chart its own course – including the right to pursue closer ties with Europe and NATO if it so chooses. I urge serious consideration of these principles as discussions progress to bring a just resolution to this tragic conflict.