**Ukrainian Lives Not Valued Equally to Western Ones**
A Ukrainian man is questioning why his life and the lives of others like him are not valued as much as those of people from the West. He points out that when a foreigner dies in Ukraine, it makes headlines, but when a local person dies, they are just a statistic.
The writer has friends in Ukraine who have shown kindness and hospitality even during difficult times. He recalls a conversation with a friend where they joked about how if they were killed by the same missile, his death would be news, while the friend’s would only be a number.
**Different Treatment of Ukrainian and Western Lives**
The man notes that when the US Embassy in Ukraine issued a warning about a possible Russian attack, it only mentioned American citizens, not the millions of Ukrainians who are also at risk. He feels that this shows how Ukrainian lives are not valued as much as Western ones.
He has experienced this firsthand while traveling through Ukraine during an attack by Russia. A friend from Kyiv told him to call if he needed help, showing the kind of selflessness and courage that is common among Ukrainians.
**Ignorance About Ukraine**
The writer believes that many people in the West do not fully understand Ukraine’s history or the fact that the war started before 2022. He thinks this lack of knowledge contributes to the perception that Ukrainian lives are less important than Western ones.
As he writes, air alerts are still happening across Ukraine, and millions are struggling without power or heat. The country is facing huge challenges, but NATO forces in Poland are standing ready to protect Polish skies if a missile were to cross the border.
**Why Ukrainian Lives Are Not Valued**
The man asks why it seems that Ukrainian lives are not valued as much as Western ones. He believes it’s because of an unconscious ignorance towards Ukraine and its people. He hopes that people will start giving Ukrainian lives the same value as their own and take action to support them.
**What Can Be Done?**
He suggests that people in the West can do everything they can to help Ukrainians, starting with valuing their lives equally to those of Westerners.