America’s huge aid to Ukraine, will it last?

President Joe Biden announced on January 25 that the US would send 31 M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, after President Volodymyr Zelensky repeatedly requested it.

“This is about helping Ukraine defend and defend Ukraine. It is not an offensive threat to Russia. If the Russian military were to return to their place, this war would be over today,” Biden said in a speech at the White House.

In the newspaper Asia TimesMs. Monica Duffy Toft – professor of international politics and director of the Center for Strategic Studies at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University (USA) – commented: The US has not officially declared war on Russia, but the battlefield in Ukraine is a classic case of a proxy war, waged without an official declaration.

As we approach the one-year anniversary of Russia’s military operation in Ukraine on February 24, 2023, it is important to put US aid to Ukraine in context – both historically and in relation to aid commitments. other current U.S. military aid worldwide.

Doing so could help answer an important question: Is the United States willing to support Ukraine over the long term? Or will their current high spending pledge be reversed, by the impact of polarized American domestic politics?

Also follow Asia TimesThere are four key points about US support to Ukraine to understand and how the US has signaled that it will stand with Ukraine for the long term.

Tanks are a big boost for Ukraine

The delivery of Western tanks will strengthen Ukraine’s arsenal. Until now, the Ukrainian military still relies on old-generation T-72s from the Soviet era.

However, Western tanks come with challenges. For example, Abrams is dependent on jet fuel, which is expensive and complex to maintain and train.

But the deployment of these tanks, along with tanks from Germany and Britain, signaled that the West wanted to give Ukraine a fighting chance to regain territory occupied by Russia.

Not to mention these weapons systems come with a commitment to train Ukrainian soldiers and teach them how to operate tanks and other machines.

The US provides $50 billion in aid to Ukraine

The speed and amount of U.S. military aid to Ukraine tells a story about how the United States, and its allies, see benefits in the outcome of the war.

In total, the US has approved about $50 billion in aid to Ukraine by 2022.

About half of that money – or $24.9 billion – is spent on military spending. In comparison, US military aid to Israel – the top longtime recipient of US military aid – in 2020 is $3.8 billion.

Most Americans still want to help Ukraine

Americans do not face the direct threat of a widespread, cross-border land war in Ukraine, as people in Europe may face. But most Americans continue to support Ukraine in its war against Russia.

In December 2022, 65% of Americans said they support arms deliveries to Ukraine and 66% said they support direct deposit, according to statistics from the Chicago Board of Global Affairs. a nonpartisan policy think tank.

Even more strikingly, the same poll found that nearly 1 in 3 Americans support the idea of ​​sending US troops into war.

US signals long-term aid to Ukraine

The long-term impact of US and NATO military aid on the war in Ukraine remains uncertain.

But it is clear that the support of American intelligence and advanced weaponry seriously damages Russia’s chances on the battlefield.

On the other hand, Ukraine has demonstrated a strong level of national unity, leadership and military capabilities.

Much of the aid promised by the US to Ukraine will be disbursed over a long period of time. Most of the new money promised by the US to Ukraine will be spent by 2025, but some won’t arrive until 2030.

This long-term timeframe is also a clear indication that the US plans to help Ukraine rebuild its military, even if the war ends shortly.