More dangerously, the western politicians basking in the adulation of the protesters risk giving pro-European Ukrainians false hope. For all the caveats McCain and his colleague, Sen. Chris Murphy, dropped into their speeches, telling the crowd that, “if you are successful, the U.S. Senate will stand with you every step of the way,” as Murphy did, leads ordinary Ukrainians to assume they have the backing of Western governments while raising the ominous question of what happens if the protests fail.

For now, Ukraine remains a fine photo opportunity for politicians keen to wave their fist at Putin on his doorstep, as Georgia did in the early years of Saakashvili’s rule. But few who have tested the Russian president’s mettle have come off the better for it. And given its catastrophic debt and volatile political scene, those keen to draw Ukraine into the western fold will have to be in for the long haul. Real proof of commitment will come only when photo opportunities are long gone.