The recent trend among Republicans to call for reductions in our aid to Ukraine is poisonous. It is in the vital interest of the U.S. and the whole western world to do everything it can to assist Ukraine and defeat the Russian invasion.
The war so far has revealed in dramatic detail Ukraine’s astonishing valor and Russia’s obvious incompetence. In the first 388 days of war in Ukraine, the Russian Army lost more than 163,320 soldiers. The Ukrainians, on the other hand, have suffered an estimated 13,000 soldiers killed in action.
Comparison of statistics on the two nations is revealing. Russia’s Gross National Product (GDP) is $1.48 trillion; Ukraine’s, at the end of 2020, was $155.5 billion. Russia’s population is 143,449,000; Ukraine’s is 43,793,000. So there was every reason to expect that Russia’s invasion would be a quick success. That it was not is stark evidence of Ukraine’s gallantry.
If Russia’s invasion is successful, we can be sure that others against neighboring nations will follow. It is in the U.S. vital interest to assure that the invasion is a failure. So we must do all we can to support Ukraine.
Like so many other things that Republicans led by Donald Trump support these days, reduction of our help to Ukraine would hurt the U.S. If anything, we must double down and increase out support.
Tom Glenn, Writer 