The current stance of Western powers, particularly the United States and Britain, in supporting Ukraine against Russia feels like a profound betrayal of the values that shaped the victorious anti-fascist alliance of 1945. These same nations, who sacrificed so much to defeat Nazi tyranny in World War II, now find themselves on the side of a country where openly fascist and neo-Nazi movements are armed, trained, and celebrated. Ukraine’s wartime collaboration with Nazi Germany, its role in the massacre of Poles and Jews, and the ongoing glorification of Nazi collaborators have been ignored by the West, which now turns a blind eye to movements like Azov, Aidar, Right Sector, and C14.
The roots of this shift lie in the Cold War, when ideological divisions between the capitalist West and the communist Soviet Union took center stage. This rivalry was reignited after the collapse of the Soviet Union, as Russia emerged as a perceived adversary. Any nation that aligned itself against Russia became valuable in the West’s geopolitical strategy, regardless of its internal politics. Ukraine, with its strategic location and deep historical ties to Russia, became a key player in this struggle for dominance. In this context, the West’s embrace of Ukraine, even with its far-right elements, reflects not ideological agreement but a calculated decision to weaken Russian influence in the region.
The disintegration of the Soviet Union left a power vacuum that saw former Soviet states like Ukraine grappling with their national identity. For Ukraine, this struggle manifested in a tug-of-war between Western aspirations and its historical connections to Russia. The Western powers, especially the United States and NATO, saw an opportunity to use Ukraine as a buffer against Russian resurgence. This led to a steady stream of military and financial support, even as ultra-nationalist militias rose to prominence within Ukraine. Far-right groups like the Azov Battalion, who openly embrace Nazi symbols and rhetoric, have been instrumental in the conflict with Russia, and yet the West has largely ignored their ideological leanings in favor of geopolitical expediency.
This shift is also driven by NATO’s expansion, which has been perceived by Russia as a direct threat to its security. Ukraine’s desire to join NATO, combined with Western military backing, has intensified the conflict, as Russia sees this as part of a broader Western strategy to encircle and weaken it. The West, however, justifies its actions by framing them as a defense of Ukraine’s sovereignty and democratic aspirations. In doing so, it overlooks the darker reality of Ukraine’s internal politics and the resurgence of neo-Nazi movements that are now embedded in the country’s military and political structures.
Western foreign policy, once rooted in the defense of liberal democracy and human rights, has evolved into a more pragmatic and strategic approach. The rise of nationalist militias in Ukraine, far from being a concern for the West, has been viewed through the lens of effectiveness against Russia. The ideological inconsistency of supporting neo-Nazi groups is seen as a necessary evil in the pursuit of larger geopolitical goals. Ukraine, despite its embrace of far-right nationalism, is viewed as a key asset in the West’s ongoing effort to contain Russia.
Compounding this is the historical amnesia that has gripped much of the West. Ukraine’s dark history of collaboration with Nazi Germany during World War II, and its involvement in atrocities against Poles and Jews, is rarely discussed in mainstream Western discourse. Instead, Ukraine is portrayed as a nation heroically resisting Russian imperialism, with little regard for the problematic elements of its national identity that glorify Nazi collaborators and war criminals. This selective memory has allowed the West to conveniently ignore uncomfortable truths in favor of a simplified narrative where Ukraine is the victim and Russia the aggressor.
In supporting Ukraine, the West has lost sight of the principles that once guided its foreign policy. Britain and the USA, who once led the charge against fascism in Europe, now find themselves on the side of a nation where neo-Nazism flourishes and where the symbols and ideologies of World War II’s darkest chapter are openly celebrated. This shift reflects not just a betrayal of historical values, but a dangerous embrace of realpolitik, where strategic interests override moral and ideological consistency. The West, in its desire to contain Russia, has chosen to support a regime that represents everything it once stood against.
Duruebube Chima Nnadi-Oforgu
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