Give Ukraine more uniforms, armor, rifles, and ammo. They’re fighting the good fight. Give them as many anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons as they can use. And drones! But don’t stop there. Give them offensive weapons: jet fighters, armored vehicles, and tanks. Give them what they need to push the Russian invaders back to their borders.
Offensive Weapons
America has been careful to provide defensive weapons, but not offensive weapons. That’s an important distinction. Defensive materials are essential for stopping the Russian invasion. Without them, Ukraine would have been quickly overrun. Also, limiting offensive weapons makes it harder for Putin to characterize our support as American hegemony.
The offensive/defensive distinction is a real thing in war. While Ukraine jet fighters have been masterful, they remain badly outnumbered. That limits Ukraine’s air defense. And while our missiles have limited Russian close-ground support, they still run bombing raids from high altitudes. Most importantly, it’s difficult for Ukraine to take back territory from Russia. You don’t recapture an occupied city with Stingers and Javelins.
New Times and a New Strategy
The American strategy needs to change. Yes, I understand we want to stop the Ruso-Ukrainian war from spreading. And yes, giving Ukraine offensive weapons would cross an important line. But we’re fooling ourselves if we think that difference will affect Russian President Putin’s actions. For years, experts have warned us that Putin will try to recreate the Russian Empire, and now he’s said it openly. When autocrats tell you who they are, believe them. Putin won’t stop.
This doesn’t mean getting American or NATO troops involved. There’s no need to send US soldiers when Ukraine has people still waiting for rifles. Implement something like Lend-Lease, which provided free weapons to our allies in World War II. Send Ukraine all the weapons they can use: planes, ships, tanks, rifles, ammunition, armor, helmets, and yes, even modern drones. Give them offensive weapons. It’ll be a bargain compared to the cost of stopping Putin later. And maybe we can limit the daily carnage of Russian war crimes.
