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

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.

  • wahming@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1510·
    10 months ago

    That money will likely mean the difference between victory and defeat for Ukraine, and all the geopolitical fallout that entails. It is however unlikely to change Israel’s stance on Gaza as long as Netanyahu remains in power.

      • wahming@lemmy.worldEnglish
        58·
        10 months ago

        You realise Israel doesn’t get cash, right? The cash goes into the American military industrial complex. All they get are free weapons, which they can live without for a while.

          • wahming@lemmy.worldEnglish
            711·
            10 months ago

            Again, Netanyahu is not going to back down from this war, because if he does he goes to jail. This is his only ticket to staying out. If he needs to pull money from other sectors, he will (also, you’re overstating the impact on the Israeli economy).

            As compared to Ukraine, where the US’s decision is of critical importance right now.