Chris Powell's article in The Day (Feb. 20) reeks of false and misleading information. First, he makes the preposterous claim that the U.S. instigated the war in Ukraine and insinuates falsely that the U.S. influenced former Soviet bloc states to join NATO. In fact it was those same states starting with Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic in 1999, that requested to join NATO. They had lived through communism and wanted to be protected from any future aggression coming from Russia. And they are obviously certainly glad now they did join NATO.

Second, Powell cites the now debunked argument of the Russian state-sponsored media that the U.S. staged a coup to overthrow the Ukrainian government in 2014. There was in fact a popular uprising that began in November 2013 against then-President Victor Yanukovych's decision to suspend preparations for the signing of an association and free trade agreement with the European Union. The Ukrainian parliament voted several months later 328-0 to remove President Yanukovych from power and schedule new presidential elections.

If this article had not been signed by Chris Powell, it could have been written by Vladimir Putin or by right wing Republicans who are currently blocking aid to Ukraine.

Bob-Cricri Perry

Mystic