to every word the candidates and their proxies had to say about Ukraine. He got really nervous when he heard Republican Donald Trump tell ABC's "This Week With George Stephanopoulos" that he would consider recognizing Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimean peninsula.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "THIS WEEK WITH GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS")

DONALD TRUMP: I'm going to take a look at it. But you know, the people of Crimea, from what I've heard, would rather be with Russia than where they were. And you have to look at that also.

KELEMEN: The next day, Trump said trying to get Crimea back would start World War III. He's also suggesting that he would ease sanctions on Russia, though as ambassador Chaly points out, even the watered-down Republican Party platform calls for maintaining sanctions untilformer Soviet bloc countries. As ambassador Chaly points out, they tend to be Ronald-Reagan Republicans

CHALY: You know, traditionally, American-Ukrainians vote for Republicans from the Reagan period when Reagan was very strong against Soviet Union.

KELEMEN: Now he says many are conflicted. Chaly says he thinks there's still time for the Trump campaign to win back the Ukrainian diaspora if the Republican candidate sets the record straight about Ukraine.

CHALY: That's a country in the middle of Europe with 45 million people facing the open aggression from the neighbor, from Russia. And to - the discussion not about Ukraine. This discussion about American leadership, is discussion about the international order.

KELEMEN: And it's a discussion that he and his country want to be part of. Michele Kelemen, NPR News, Washington.

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