Peace in Ukraine Needn't Mean Russian Victory
The Wall Street Journal|January 22, 2025
It serves U.S. interests to keep backing Kyiv so that it can negotiate from a position of strength. es
By David Shimer
Peace in Ukraine Needn't Mean Russian Victory

As President Trump seeks to end the war between Russia and Ukraine, it is imperative that the U.S. continue to support the Ukrainian military. Ukraine can reach a just and lasting outcome to this war, but only with our help.

Since Russia launched its invasion in February 2022, the topic of Ukraine funding has become increasingly politicized and detached from the facts on the ground. I worked on Russia and Ukraine policy at the White House over the past four years, and there are clear, straightforward, nonpartisan reasons why the U.S. should keep up its military aid for Ukraine.

It serves U.S. interests to keep backing Kyiv so that it can negotiate from a position of strength.

First, Ukraine is an effective partner that is degrading the Russian military and, in the process, strengthening its position for a future negotiation. Press coverage of this war is frequently lopsided in portraying Russia as on the march and Ukraine on its back foot. The reality is more complex. Early in the war, Ukraine won the battle for Kyiv and retook more than half the territory that Russia initially seized. Today, it's true that Russia is grinding out territorial gains, and Ukraine's hold over areas such as Kursk and Pokrovsk is tenuous.

But it's also true that Ukraine is imposing extraordinary costs on Russia, which is suffering an average of 1,500 casualties a day. It's an open question whether Moscow can continue to recruit enough soldiers to replace its staggering losses, estimated at more than 700,000 casualties overall since 2022. Russia's struggles are a credit, first and foremost, to the skill of the Ukrainian military. U.S. security assistance has played a key role in supporting Ukraine's courageous fighting force, alongside contributions from a global coalition of more than 50 countries.

This story is from the January 22, 2025 edition of The Wall Street Journal.

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This story is from the January 22, 2025 edition of The Wall Street Journal.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.