Should the U.S. Continue to Support Ukraine’s War Effort?

There are some who argue that the United States should stop aiding Ukraine in its defense against Russia’s unprovoked invasion, and focus solely on our own interests here at home. That is a false and dangerous choice. We can and should do both.

It is strongly in America’s best interest to see Ukraine succeed and Russia fail. Ukrainians are fighting for their freedom against a brutal Russian military that kills civilians and indiscriminately bombs communities. History has shown Russia to be an enemy of freedom; and Putin’s regime continues to commit widespread human rights abuses.

 Some argue that the U.S. has sent enough money to Ukraine. But we’re only spending about 5 percent of the entire U.S. defense budget helping Ukraine substantially erode Russia’s military capability, without putting a single U.S. servicemember on the battlefield.

In many instances, the military equipment we’re sending to Ukraine is no longer used by our own military and funding authorized by Congress is used to refill our supply with the most up-to-date technologies. U.S. support has been amplified by our European allies, who are also shouldering the burden of taking in Ukrainian refugees.

The U.S. should end its involvement in Ukraine. America is many great things, but we cannot be the world’s policeman.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was unjust, and Americans are right to be infuriated. But this is no basis for military intervention and continued economic support of the war. There are injustices all over the world that deserve our outrage. Many happen here in our own country. People are trafficked illegally across our southern border, young Americans die of drug overdoses, and working-class families are struggling to make ends meet. These are American tragedies. We should solve them before we get involved in another country’s war.

It’s also not in our strategic interest to fuel the conflict in Ukraine. America is being asked to furnish endless resources for an indefinite conflict. Sending weapons to Ukraine has only deepened the conflict while depleting our own critical military stockpiles, which we may need to defend ourselves and our own interests. If China invades Taiwan, it could crush the U.S. economy. We cannot afford to defend Taiwan and Ukraine at the same time.