Ukraine aid is a good investment for the US. The United States has given Ukraine $43.7 billion in military assistance since Russia鈥檚 full-scale invasion last year. This is about 5 percent of America鈥檚 fiscal year 2023 defense budget, or less than two-tenths of 1 percent of its gross domestic product.
- Ukraine is degrading one of America鈥檚 two major adversaries. Ukraine has more than 11,350 pieces of Russian military equipment, including 2,164 main battle tanks, 2,566 infantry fighting vehicles, more than 500 pieces of towed artillery and multiple rocket launchers, 84 aircraft, 99 helicopters, and 12 naval ships鈥攁ll without shedding a single drop of US blood.
- President Zelensky: 鈥淯kraine never American soldiers to fight on our land instead of us.鈥�
Ukraine matters to the US economy. In 2021, Europe for $3.19 trillion of foreign capital investment in the US (out of a total of $4.98 trillion). In 2022, 45 out of 50 states鈥攊ncluding the largest single-state economy, California鈥� more goods to Europe than to China.
- Ukraine shapes global commodities markets. Ukraine in the top ten in the production of corn, wheat, barley, sunflower, sunflower oil, sunflower meal, and canola. It 117 of the 120 most widely used minerals and metals in the world, including titanium, iron, lithium, coal, and other energy deposits. At present, Russia occupies Ukrainian territory containing at least $12.4 trillion worth of raw materials.
Weakening Russia hurts China. China sees Russia as its stalking horse. Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin signed a 鈥渘o-limits partnership鈥� 20 days before Russia鈥檚 full-scale invasion of Ukraine and have met 40 times as heads of state. Xi that Putin is his 鈥渂est, most intimate friend.鈥�
- Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida: 鈥淭he security of the Indo-Pacific region cannot be from European security.鈥�
- Taiwanese Representative to the US Bi-khim Hsiao: 鈥淚 think is the key message that will help to deter any consideration or miscalculation that an invasion can be conducted unpunished, without costs, in a rapid way. . . . That is why Ukraine鈥檚 success in defending against aggression is so important also for Taiwan.鈥�
- Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo: 鈥淐丑颈苍补 Putin to win. The best way to deter the [Chinese Communist Party] is to help Ukraine defeat Russia.鈥�
- Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR): 鈥淪topping Russia also will allow the US to on the greater threat from China. A Russian victory would force us to divert more resources for a longer time to Europe to deter Russian expansionism, creating persistent threats on both fronts. But a Ukrainian victory and a durable peace will secure our European flank as we confront China.鈥�
Ukraine aid strengthens America鈥檚 defense industrial base. US military assistance to Ukraine consists of over 40 presidential 鈥渄rawdowns鈥� from existing US stocks of weapons and materiel. Of the $43.7 billion appropriated for Ukraine since Russia鈥檚 full-scale invasion, $26 billion is dedicated to replenishing US stocks.
- This year, $215.6 million of Ukraine aid went toward an of Aerojet Rocketdyne鈥檚 complex rocket propulsion systems manufacturing capacity in Huntsville, AL, Camden, AR, and Orange County, VA.
- Last year, the US appropriated $678 million to government-owned, contractor-operated ammunition plants in Scranton, PA, Middletown, IA, and Kingsport, TN.
US economic support keeps Ukraine in the fight. Russia has destroyed approximately 45 percent of Ukraine鈥檚 economy. Absent economic support, Ukrainian society will collapse even if its military succeeds on the battlefield. The US has $23 billion in economic support to date.
Ukraine aid undergoes more extensive scrutiny than any assistance program in US history. Last year, Congress appropriated $41 million to Ukraine oversight alone. More than 160 staffers in 20 federal organizations track US assistance to Ukraine, and their investigations have significant waste, fraud, or abuse.
When the US leads, Europe follows. Although some countries like Germany and France could do more, much of Europe is stepping up. The US now ranks twelfth in for Ukraine as a percentage of GDP, behind the United Kingdom, Poland, the Scandinavian and Baltic states, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. Europe follows America鈥檚 example.
Supporting Ukraine puts America first. Former President Donald Trump鈥檚 top national security advisors agree that supporting Ukraine is in the national interest of the United States.
- Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo: 鈥淭he least costly way to move forward is to the Ukrainians with what they need now, provide them with the tools and resources that they need today. . . . An extended conflict, a conflict that results in Vladimir Putin in control of Kyiv or moving on to Europe will be far more costly . . . than providing them these weapons quickly, effectively training them and ending this.鈥�
- Former Secretary of Defense Mark Esper: 鈥淚t鈥檚 Ukraine one day, it鈥檚 somebody else the next. . . . Eventually this home and affects us, and it鈥檚 far better to deter war than to have to fight one, and far better to win one than to lose one鈥攕o there鈥檚 a lot on the line.鈥�
- Former Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis: 鈥淲e need to put Russia in a and assure they cannot go further.鈥�
- Former National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster: 鈥淯kraine is a just war and the Ukrainian people need our sustained assistance.鈥�