Ukraine war wouldn’t take so long if Biden would commit to victory

One year into Russia’s unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine, it is important to remember why the United States and our allies are supporting Ukraine.   

If we had the opportunity to help Poland stop Adolf Hitler in 1939, imagine the horrors that could have been prevented and the blood and treasure that could have been saved. We have that opportunity now as the U.S. and its allies once again face strategic adversaries in both Europe and the Indo-Pacific.  

Currently, Russia is engaged in a new offensive in the east. If successful, President Vladimir Putin’s invading forces could then attempt to occupy Ukraine’s entire southern coastline. The economic and humanitarian consequences of this would be significant.  

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Reminiscent of Stalin’s genocide of Ukrainians, known as the Holodomor, Russia is using its stranglehold of the Black Sea and attacks on Ukraine’s farmland to not just starve Ukraine, but also exacerbate food insecurity worldwide. Ukraine’s economic self-sufficiency and future exploration of energy reserves in surrounding waters also will be impossible without control of its Black Sea coastline, leaving it dependent on Western aid. 

An explosion is seen in an apartment building after Russian’s army tank fires in Mariupol, Ukraine, Friday, March 11, 2022.  (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka, File)

Despite what is at stake, the administration is still too slow in getting critical weapon systems to Ukraine. Ukraine right now has only enough weapons to prevent an outright Russian takeover, but not to secure victory in driving Russian forces out of the country. This strategy of incrementalism and hesitation will only prolong this conflict and lead to more Russian war crimes, crimes against humanity and other atrocities. 

The administration has recently committed to provide M1 Abrams tanks, as well as longer range Ground Launched Small Diameter Bombs (GLSDB) – this is encouraging. Unfortunately, these new systems were committed too late and won’t arrive for many months, missing the start of the Russian offensive.  

For Ukraine’s offensive to reach its full potential, which will likely begin in the spring, they still need more air defense systems, longer-range artillery, armor, armed drones, fighter jets and most urgently, Ukraine needs the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), which can hit critical Russian targets currently out of range. These targets include the military bases, fuel and ammunition depots and staging areas for Iranian drones in Crimea.  

Unfortunately, the Biden administration has consistently been a step behind throughout this war. They have repeatedly claimed sending certain advanced weapon systems – from Stingers, to HIMARS, to Patriot air defense systems, to Western main battle tanks – would somehow provoke Putin. Yet, when these provisions were eventually sent, months later, there was no Russian retribution.   

We commend the United Kingdom for their generous support. They were the first to provide Western battle tanks to Ukraine, helping unlock German approval for the Leopard 2 tanks along with the U.S. decision to send the Abrams.  

Additionally, the U.S. and allies should join the British in training Ukrainian pilots on NATO-standard fighter jets. Moreover, if smaller countries like the Baltics and Poland can provide such outsized support to Ukraine, larger ones have no excuse not to. 

This is not only the morally right thing to do; it’s in the U.S. national security interest. With just over $30 billion just in U.S. security assistance, which is about 3% of the U.S. defense budget, Ukraine has crippled the military of America’s second-greatest adversary without placing a single U.S. servicemember in harm’s way.  

Meanwhile, Congress will continue to conduct stringent oversight of U.S. funding to Ukraine, so the American people can rest assured their generous support is being used as intended in Ukraine.  

The administration has recently committed to provide M1 Abrams tanks, as well as longer range Ground Launched Small Diameter Bombs (GLSDB) – this is encouraging. Unfortunately, these new systems were committed too late and won’t arrive for many months, missing the start of the Russian offensive.  

Russia believes this will be a long, protracted war, which is in their interest. They have three times the personnel. And they mistakenly believe America and Europe will lose their political will to continue to support Ukraine. We cannot allow this to happen.  

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Putin’s revisionist agenda does not stop at the Ukrainian border. If his dream of restoring the Soviet Empire turned its sights on a NATO ally next, then American boots on the ground would be required.  

There is also a clear long-term, national security interest in destroying the Russian military now to prevent that scenario. And a Russian victory will only embolden China’s Chairman Xi to threaten the Indo-Pacific, to include Taiwan, and play into his propaganda that the West is in decline.  

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The administration was right to publicly warn the CCP against supplying Russia with arms and ammunition. If that occurs, it cannot be ignored. And that information must be declassified. 

We must continue, and continue to enhance, our support. President Joe Biden has said we will support Ukraine “for as long as it takes.” It doesn’t have to take that long. The delivery of the necessary weapon systems Ukraine needs will be essential to achieving victory as soon as possible, and it will be critical to the success of Ukraine’s future as an independent democracy.  

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Jack Keane is a Fox News senior strategic analyst and a retired general who served as U.S. Army vice chief of staff. He is chairman of the Institute for the Study of War.