It is critical for America’s security that we help Ukraine defeat Russia and decimate its military capabilities. Russia’s invasion has brought it closer to attacking a NATO country, which we have a legal treaty obligation to defend. Weakening Russia now reduces the chance Americans will have to fight Russia on the battlefield later.
We should always stand with our democratic friends against authoritarian tyrants. But just from the standpoint of America’s interests, supporting Ukraine’s war effort is a bargain: Ukrainian forces will cripple the military of a chief U.S. rival with zero American casualties. All Ukrainians ask for is the weapons to defend themselves.
There are other reasons “America First” conservatives should support Ukraine. A Ukrainian victory will help deter Chinese aggression and decrease the risk of war in Taiwan, all while weakening the Sino-Russian partnership. It will also save the American taxpayer billions in the long- run by creating more stable security conditions in Europe and reducing our need to spend on the continent’s defense. A Russian victory would do the opposite, as Putin would potentially absorb Belarus and further threaten our eastern NATO allies. And providing weapons to Ukraine gives us a unique opportunity to test our weaponry and hone our technology.
Conservatives are right to debate the scale of our involvement in Ukraine and how to balance domestic and international challenges. We must continue to pressure European countries – particularly in Western Europe – to do more themselves. While military support is expensive, it is more costly for us to abandon Ukraine. Without American support, Ukrainian forces will not have the weapons they need to defeat Putin and will literally run out of bullets, leading Russia to advance westward where they will be postured to threaten our NATO flank even further. Now is the moment to take President Reagan’s advice and seek “peace through strength.” America fought to break up the Soviet Union, once our greatest foe. We should not sit back to watch Putin try to reassemble that evil empire and assume there will be no long- term consequences for our interests.
History teaches us that we cannot just ignore a war in Europe and think it will not affect us. In the 1930s, Europe ignored Hitler as he expanded his territory. That apathy fueled the start of World War II. Conservatives should support Ukraine not for her sake and interests but for our own; because it’s in the interest of America.