The aid includes humanitarian, financial, and military support, with most of it being military-related.
Military Aid
The United States provides billions of dollars in foreign aid every year to countries around the world, with Ukraine being the top recipient since the 2022 Russian invasion.
The US has provided Ukraine with advanced defense capabilities such as Abrams battle tanks and anti-aircraft missiles coastal defense ships, and advanced surveillance and radar systems. The aid has helped a broad set of Ukrainian people and institutions, including refugees, law enforcement, and independent radio broadcasters, though most of the aid has been military-related. The military aid provided by the United States and other allies has played a pivotal role in Ukraine’s defense and counteroffensive against Russia.
Many Western countries are also providing large aid packages to Ukraine, but some European governments such as Latvia and Estonia are making larger financial contributions relative to the size of their economies.
Why send so much aid?
PBS reports, "U.S. and allied leaders consider Russia’s invasion a brutal and illegal war of aggression on NATO’s frontier that, if successful, would subjugate millions of Ukrainians; encourage Russian President Vladimir Putin’s revanchist aims; and invite similar aggression from other rival powers, especially China."
Ukrainian Refugees in the US
NBC news reports that since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine one year ago, the United States has admitted more than 271,000 Ukrainian refugees. Over 117,000 were admitted through the "Uniting for Ukraine" program, which allows Americans to sponsor Ukrainians. The remaining refugees arrived in the US through traditional refugee programs or by crossing the US-Mexico border prior to the program's launch.
What are your thoughts?
Why do you think about the extraordinary scale of the US assistance to Ukraine? Do you agree with it? Do you think it should be reduced? Should the Biden Administration and Congress spend some of this money at home where it's needed? I'd like to know your thoughts.
Please let me know what you think in the comments below.
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