In an attempt to prevent future presidents from scaling back commitments the U.S. is making to Ukraine, President Joe Biden is trying to secure an aid agreement for Ukraine with other allies in Europe that would provide long-term funding and support.
On Tuesday, the Wall Street Journal published a report that included this information, also saying that the Biden administration’s efforts are being done to try to prevent Russia from gaining any edge in the ongoing war between the neighboring countries.
According to the Journal, these talks began on the sidelines during the last NATO summit, which was held in July, and involved many of the leaders of the Group of Seven nations. To this point, the talks have involved negotiations between Ukraine and the United States, as well as Ukraine and the United Kingdom.
The Journal cited sources who said that these talks are also meant to send a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin that he shouldn’t just try to hang on until a potential new administration enters the White House in two years.
Many of the top contenders for president among the Republican Party – as well as many of the current leaders of the GOP in Washington – said they intend to reduce aid to Ukraine in the future, or eliminate it altogether. The thought is that this might be convincing Putin to keep fighting and hanging in there, hoping that a new Republican administration in early 2025 would remove aid to Ukraine, which would boost Russia’s chances at winning the war.
The Journal reported that officials believe cementing a long-term aid package for Ukraine could serve as a deterrent to Russia if they ever decide to invade Ukraine in the future.
In total, 18 other countries that don’t belong to the G-7 group of wealthy democracies have already pledged to provide security assistance long term for Ukraine. According to the Journal, this includes both Sweden and the Netherlands.
The Journal further reported that leaders of European countries are very interested in cementing support for Ukraine over the long term, while looking at restricting ways that countries might renege on the pledges they have made. The media outlet reported these leaders fear that if former President Donald Trump were to win election next year, he would almost immediately stop sending assistance to Ukraine.
These same European countries don’t have the same financial or industrial capacity to provide the billions of dollars in military aid on an annual basis that the U.S. provides.
In the year-and-a-half since Russia invaded Ukraine in February of 2022, in fact, the U.S. has given Ukraine in excess of $40 billion of equipment and weapons, in addition to the investments the country has made into American weapons companies and the training it’s provided to Ukrainian troops.
Republicans, meanwhile, have said that all this focus going to Ukraine has left the U.S. vulnerable to attack, saying that all these resources should be staying in-house.
