February 2014. Maidan Square, Kyiv. John McCain filming the protests, standing shoulder to shoulder with US Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt, while Victoria Nuland stands just behind them.
A striking snapshot of Washington’s direct involvement in Ukraine’s political upheaval.
The same officials who spoke so confidently about democracy were right there amid the turmoil surrounding the removal of a democratically elected president.
This raises an uncomfortable question: was this truly about defending Ukrainian democracy, or about Washington advancing its own geopolitical agenda at Ukraine’s expense?