Almost one year ago, on Feb. 24, 2022, Russia instigated an invasion of Ukraine that escalated into full-blown warfare between the neighboring states.
Tens of thousands have died and millions of Ukrainians have been forced from their homes. Even though President Putin has taken several major losses over the course of this past year, he still shows no intentions of stopping.
The United States has been a very large support system for Ukraine’s efforts, committing over $24.9 billion dollars in security assistance according to the U.S. Department of Defense. As this war drags on, however, public opinion on the Biden administration’s assistance has fallen.
According to the Pew Research Center, The percentage of Americans who believe Congress is providing too much support has risen from 7% to 26%. If this war continues into the upcoming election cycle, Biden will see pressure to cut support to Ukraine; a devastating blow to the offensive weaponry arsenal they are currently building.
Fortunately, other countries, sparked by Germany’s recent support, have begun the process of sending over high-power tanks in hopes that Ukraine will be able to force Russia out. This process will take several months though, and by springtime according to DefenseNews, Russian forces will become much more elusive due to the warmer weather. The success of Ukraine is reliant on the continued support of other countries and economic ruin for Russia.
All of the factors in this war lead to an indefinite ending. Russia is determined to conquer Ukraine in its effort to reunite the Soviet Union. The safest bet for Ukraine’s success is continued reinforcements from the West, but the uncertain timeframe of the war will be a major deterrent for continued support.
It will almost certainly not be within this calendar year, but Ukraine’s victory in this war is an essential element in sustaining peace within our world.
If President Putin manages to conquer Ukraine, where do you think he will turn to next?
For more information, here are sites discussing the conflict:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-56720589
