
Senator John McCain started his comments by saying that this was his fourth trip to Ukraine since the protesters struggled for their freedom. He says that what is happening here is not just about Ukraine, but the principles that Europe and the World has been based on since 1945.
He then defined the word "invasion" and said that if the West cannot say clearly that what is happening in Eastern Ukraine is not an invasion, then we are living in "Putin's World." He said that if Putin could invade for no other reason than greed, belligerence, and imperial ambition, then what would stop others from doing so? "Freedom is indivisible everywhere or it becomes negotiable everywhere."
McCain then spoke about the need to help Ukrainians defend themselves, not with troops, but with greater assistance from the West. It was argued, he said, that arming Ukraine would trigger an invasion. But Putin has invaded anyway and it is now clear that this is due to Western weakness.
McCain said he came to Kiev to show support for Ukraine's government and people and to urge his country to provide intelligence, weapons, and other assistance to Ukraine and to impose "truly crushing" sanctions to Russia.