Helping Ukraine is Helping Americans, Really

The article was written by Ivan Lozowy and Dmytro Tuzov

The issue of aid to Ukraine has played a role in the presidential election campaign in the United State, with both candidates and their choices for Vice President expressing opinions on this topic.

Yet the simple fact is that US aid to Ukraine benefits America in many ways and is in America's critical national interests.

More money for the United States

The United States is actually not spending much money, proportionally. In a list of countries aiding Ukraine sorted by a share of their GDP, the US is in 15th place, with East European and Scandinavian Countries providing the most. The leader in this list, Estonia, has provided over 3% of its GDP in aid to Ukraine. Total US aid to Ukraine amounts to a mere 0.14 percent of GDP. And the total military aid the US has provided since February 24, 2022 to Ukraine of $61.3 billion pales in comparison to expenses on its own army in just one year, which amounts to a staggering $967 billion.

Many studies have come out showing that most of the money allocated by Congress as aid to Ukraine stays in the US and benefits Americans directly, creating jobs and boosting America's economy.

A detailed analysis from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (prior to the $61 billion approved by Congress in April this year) found that: "In all, about $68 billion of the $113 billion enacted (60 percent) would be spent in the United States, benefiting the armed forces and US industry."

In an article for The Washington Post from last November Fox News contributor Marc A. Thiessen also pointed out that most of the money allocated by the US for Ukraine actually stays in America. In his article Thiessen noted that the American Enterprise Institute tracked local production of arms for Ukraine and identified 117 production lines in at least 31 states and 71 cities where American workers are producing major weapons systems for Ukraine.

Russia's failures on the battlefield against Ukraine have highlighted the superiority of American weapons and American firms' sales to foreign governments skyrocketed by 16% in 2023, to a record $238 billion.

The non-financial benefits to the US are immense

Not only is the US reaping direct, internal financial benefits from the military aid allocated to Ukraine, but it has reaped indirect benefits for its own military. These benefits include:

- revitalizing America's defense industry (for example, the last Stinger missile produced was in 2005, now they are back in production in Tucson, Arizona as per a DoD contract worth $624.6 million; then there are JDAMs, plus GLSDBs and so on),

- demotivating China off its threats to attack Taiwan because of the US and the "Rammstein" group's support for Ukraine, Taiwanese politicians are very clear on this,

- weaning India away from its traditional reliance on Russian military products, including the planned joint production of the Stryker infantry combat vehicle with the US,

- testing American weapons systems, as when a Patriot battery using the MIM-104 Phased Array Tracking Radar shocked the world by downing Russia's supposedly "invincible" hypersonic missile, the "Kinzhal,"

- upgrading the Bradley IFV to the new M2A4E1 based on experience in Ukraine, where US-provided Bradleys have seen lots of action,

- changing US military doctrine by reshaping the Pentagon's plans from acquisition to how to approach formations to re-imagining logistics,

- changing US military equipment plans, after watching cheap drones destroy tanks in Ukraine the US has opted to scrap its upgrade plan for the M1 Abrams tank and instead pursue a new variant: the M1E3m,

- allowing America's military to watch this war very closely and learn from how it is condducted, given the unprecedentted use of UAVs this experience is invaluable for the US,

- observing how each weapon system is performing on the battlefield, given America's unparalleled access to Ukraine's armed forces the US army and its specialists; James Hecker, commander of America's air forces in Europe describes Ukrainian innovation in acoustic sensing, for example as "extraordinary."

A threat is being removed

The single greatest non-monetary benefit for America from aiding Ukraine is one that is not often mentioned. As President Biden stated, Ukraine's army has "friggin' decimated" Russia's army. This means that Russia, one of the two largest threats facing the US – the other being, of course, China – is being eliminated as a threat. The purpose of NATO and America's strong participation in the Alliance was and is to defend Europe against Russia. Yet Ukraine is currently waging the US's and NATO's war for them, really "on the cheap," with no losses of NATO personnel.

In addition, since the "axis of evil" is fighting in Ukraine on behalf of Russia, Ukraine' army is degrading not just Russia's own army, but stocks of weapons and ammunition held by North Korea and Iran.

Given the chance to be victorious, Ukraine's armed forces will eliminate Russia as a threat to anyone for a long time to come. This will mean that America will be able to significantly scale down its current force of almost 100,000 army personnel in Europe and, each year, will have to spend far less on buttressing Europe's defense.

China will win if Ukraine does not win

China would be a beneficiary if Russia were to be successful in Ukraine. Thus small wonder the Chinese support Russia's war of aggression. Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin and their defense ministers meet regularly, the two countries hold joint military exercises.

China has long had its own plans regarding Ukraine, recognizing its riches. China attempted to purchase Ukraine's seaports as well as the Ukrainian jet engine-producing company "Motor Sich" and entered Ukraine's agricultural sector. In the event of a Russian victory in this war and the capture of Ukraine, or major parts of it, Russia may repay its Chinese partners by granting them access to Ukraine's riches, which includee deposits of lithium, titanium, iron, uranium, and graphite.

If the Russia-China alliance takes control of and gains access to the resources of the largest country in Europe, China will greatly benefit. Can the US envision a future disaster if the Russians gain a territorial foothold for possible further advancement westward, with resources to produce weapons, including Ukrainian nuclear power plants, and China gets access to critically important materials for the development of its electronics, aviation engine construction and other industries?

To avoid strenthening – and encouraging – China, it is worth very seriously investing in Ukraine's victory today. Particularly since American aid remains largely in the US, strengthening the economy and strengthening America's armed forces. In addition to the many benefits to Americans from aiding Ukraine militarily, it is in America's national interest that Ukraine wins this war.

By Ivan Lozowy, Dmytro Tuzov

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