CEEC Letter to Vice President Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio
February 27, 2025
J.D. Vance
Vice President of the United States of America
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. Vice President,
On behalf of the members of the Central and East European Coalition (CEEC), representing over 20 million Americans, we write in response to your recent remarks in Munich concerning Ukraine.
In the words of Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi, “There are good guys and bad guys in this war, and the Russians are the bad guys.” Over 80% of Americans are afraid of Russia, per a recent Ronald Reagan Institute poll.
The U.S. has wrongly offered concessions to Russia, inexplicably blaming the victim Ukraine for the crime of being invaded by Russia, ignoring the legitimacy of Ukraine as a sovereign nation, and reneging on everything that the United States has stood for over the past 80 years.
There is no reasoning with a brutal dictator, and there is no basis for Ukraine to concede territory. The only just outcome would be for Russia to completely withdraw all of its violent invading forces from Ukraine immediately and forever and be forced to pay reparations for the horrendous damage it has inflicted.
The people of Ukraine and the Baltic countries of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia spent 50 years under Russian oppression. In the 35 years since regaining independence from the USSR, these countries have prospered in successful self-governance. In 2004, the Baltic countries became members of NATO and the European Union, a membership that guaranteed their security. Ukraine deserves the same.
Russia is a violent aggressor trying to forcibly seize the land and wealth of its more prosperous neighbors. Putin will not stop with Ukraine. Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia know that. Finland and Sweden asked to join NATO knowing that.
Russia is economically on the ropes right now. Its foolhardy attack upon its more prosperous neighbor Ukraine has bankrupted Russia and killed the flower of its youth. Now is the time for the United States to press its advantage and help Ukraine, not prop up its invader.
History will judge the United States on how it handles this moment.
Respectfully,
The Central and East European Coalition
