11.23.22
Ukrainians are showing remarkable resilience under increasingly sophisticated Russian attacks which target access to basic services and critical civilian infrastructure. In the past few weeks, Russian aerial strikes and kamikaze drone attacks have destroyed 40 percent of Ukrainian energy infrastructure and left 80 percent of Kyiv houses without water. In Kherson, the retreating Russian forces damaged power stations, heating systems, the TV tower. Ongoing Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure are likely to continue depriving growing numbers of Ukrainians of heat, hot water, and clean water going into the winter. Ukraine needs a lot of help urgently. It requires continued military assistance to defend against continuing Russian attacks and to regain vital parts of its country. It also needs prioritized financial and economic help to repair the damage Russian forces continue to inflict.
Americans, fortunately, seem to agree that the US should continue to support Ukraine militarily and financially despite hinted Russian nuclear threats. A Reuters-Ipsos poll conducted on October 4-5 found that a majority of Americans feared that the U.S. is headed toward nuclear war with Russia but that 73% thought the U.S. should continue supporting Ukraine despite Russia’s threats. Support for financial assistance to Ukraine was also high at 59% despite the growing skepticism toward such aid expressed by some Republican members of Congress. The poll even found that 34% of respondents favored sending troops to Ukraine to help defend it against Russia—a remarkably high number considering that President Biden has repeatedly ruled out any such use of the American military and no major or military leader has advocated it. America’s national interests lie in supporting Ukraine in liberating its people and rebuilding its economy and society. American values demand nothing less. Ukrainians have defended themselves brilliantly, courageously, and honorably, and seek nothing more than a restoration of their land and people and the reconstruction of their peaceful lives. Americans can see past Russia’s bluster and threats to the heart of the matter—Ukraine needs our help and we need to help Ukraine.
