The United States could make one of the most unforgivable mistakes in the history of its foreign policy if it suspends military aid to Ukraine in the event of Donald Trump’s election victory, writes the Washington Post.
We have clearly seen what the suspension of US military aid leads to: Ukraine lost territory and was on the verge of collapsing on the front before Congress decided to resume aid. Following Washington’s positive decision, Ukraine stabilized the front and inflicted unprecedented losses on the Russian occupiers.
According to British intelligence estimates, Russian losses in May (an average of more than 1,200 soldiers killed and wounded per day) were the heaviest of the entire war. In total, estimates of Russian losses range from at least 350,000 killed and wounded (the American estimate) to more than 500,000 killed and wounded (the British estimate). This is more soldiers than Russia has lost in all its other wars combined since 1945.
The greatest danger for Ukraine and its military is Russian air strikes. At a NATO summit, the allies announced that they would send dozens of new air defense systems to Ukraine, including at least four Patriot batteries. Negotiations are underway with Israel for the supply of eight older-generation Patriot batteries. In addition, F-16 fighters from the Netherlands and Denmark will help the Ukrainians. It would also be helpful if the current US President Joe Biden allowed the Ukrainian armed forces to use American weapons systems to attack Russian air bases.
Despite the improving outlook in Ukraine, Vladimir Putin has made it clear that he is not interested in a ceasefire. So far, the Russian dictator has failed to undermine Western support for kyiv, but that could change if Donald Trump wins the US election.
Trump and his team are making it clear that they will end the war immediately after taking office, but on their own terms. That means one thing: Ukraine giving up land occupied by the Russian army. This is a scenario that Kiev does not want and will prove to be a huge mistake for American foreign policy, with consequences for decades to come.
