National honor is a national property of the highest value. - James Monroe

Hello, I am James Monroe, the fifth President of the United States. Let me share with you a principle that has guided nations through triumphs and tribulations: "National honor is a national property of the highest value." These words, spoken during my time, reflect an enduring truth—honor is not just a virtue; it is the foundation of a nation’s strength, trust, and influence. When I spoke of national honor, it was in the context of a young America striving to define itself on the global stage. We were a fledgling nation, determined to prove our integrity and uphold our commitments. National honor, I believed, was not merely an abstract ideal but a tangible asset, a form of moral currency that shaped how other nations viewed and treated us. By standing by our promises and protecting our allies, we built a reputation for reliability and justice—values that outlived my presidency and became part of America’s identity. But honor, like trust, is fragile. It must be continually earned and vigilantly guarded. To abandon commitments is to forfeit this most precious property, eroding the faith others place in us and weakening our position in the world. Consider how this principle applies today. In 1994, Ukraine, newly independent after the fall of the Soviet Union, made a profound act of trust. It agreed to relinquish its nuclear arsenal—the third-largest in the world—in exchange for security assurances under the Budapest Memorandum. The United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia pledged to respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. This agreement was more than a diplomatic achievement; it was a testament to the power of trust and promises. Yet, decades later, we have seen this trust betrayed. Russia violated the memorandum with its annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. These actions not only shattered Ukraine’s sovereignty but also tarnished the very concept of international honor.