I WANT to be absolutely clear: Russia's invasion of Ukraine resulted in unnecessary, horrific attacks against that country's civilians. A UN agency reported that from the start of the war to May, there have been 23,606 civilian casualties: 8,791 killed and 14,815 injured. About 8 million, or 20 percent of that nation's population have fled, throughout Europe.

Relentless attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure have caused over $10 billion in damages and left over 12 million people with no or limited electricity, while also disrupting water supply and heating systems, according to a UN study.