Dear supporters, As the war in the Donbas, a region in Eastern Ukraine, enters its fourth year, the Ukrainian Army continues sacrificing and working hard to restore their territorial sovereignty and to defend their homeland in the face of internal challenges and from external threats posed by the Russian Federation and their proxies. Ukraine’s troops are working to stabilize the region and return the civilian population affected by fighting in Donbas, to normalcy. To assist in this mission, and to prevent the conflict from spilling over into NATO’s borders, US troops are on the ground helping train Ukrainian soldiers to survive and succeed on the frontlines. The professionalization of the Ukrainian forces and strengthening of the US and Ukrainian relationship is important for regional stability, and for US national security interests. However, the rigorous, multi-month US-led training courses that ran through the winter and are still ongoing have worn out the Ukrainian soldiers’ boots, socks and other mission essential gear. Making matters worse, the resource-strapped Ukrainian military has struggled to replace this essential gear before these elite soldiers have been needed on the front lines of the war. With your support, Spirit of America is here to meet this need and fill in the gap where US government and partner nation funds cannot. A gift of $35 will provide one fleece jacket for the forces, while a $163 donation equips a Ukrainian soldier with a pair of high-quality, waterproof combat boots. Your donation will not only provide lifesaving equipment to these troops, but also help build on the strategic relationship between US troops and their Ukrainian partners on the ground. As always, thank you for your support, Nick Israel Europe Project Manager