Helping Ukraine is “a relatively modest investment with significant geopolitical returns,” the CIA director wrote.

Western allies must continue providing assistance to Ukraine in its war with Russia this year, or risk a mistake “of historic proportions,” CIA Director William Burns wrote in a column published Tuesday.

Burns laid out his case in a Foreign Affairs column, noting that less than 5 percent of the U.S. defense budget — “a relatively modest investment with significant geopolitical returns” — is all that Washington sends to Kyiv.

If an opportunity for serious negotiations to end the war emerges, he wrote, providing arms to Ukraine will put it in a stronger bargaining position. Ukraine’s military would also be able to continue fending off Russian troops while rebuilding its infrastructure, while Moscow spends massive amounts of money to keep the war going, Burns added.

“For the United States to walk away from the conflict at this crucial moment and cut off support to Ukraine would be an own goal of historic proportions,” Burns wrote, referencing a soccer term for scoring a goal for the rival team by putting the ball into a player’s own net.

  • Liam Mayfair@lemmy.sdf.org
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    9 months ago

    I genuinely can’t fathom how anyone other than Russia and their buddies can look at this situation and think they’re better off not helping Ukraine right now. What do they expect? That Russia will say “Ah, gobbling up Ukraine hit the spot, I’m good now. Thanks guys!” and stop their aggression forever?

    Ukraine is just the first step. Eventually, Russia will gain more power and influence and encroach into more European territories. You have to be either deluded or directly stand to benefit from Russia’s invasion to think just because Russia cannot physically invade the US as easily, that the US won’t hurt badly because of it. I really don’t get it.