Schaffer is of Ukrainian heritage, the son of a Ukrainian immigrant to the United States. He has received multiple recognitions for his advocacy of Ukraine–United States relations, and for defense of Ukraine's territorial integrity under the 1994 Budapest Memorandum. Schaffer was co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional Ukrainian Caucus. Schaffer served as an election observer in Ukraine during parliamentary election 2002 and presidential election 2004 (“Orange Revolution”).