A CIA Chief has issued a stark warning against cutting support for Ukraine amid growing Republican scepticism over the financial commitment.
Bill Burns highlighted that the cost of backing Ukraine constitutes less than five percent of the US defence budget, emphasising the strategic importance of preserving Western aid for success.
He said: “A relatively modest investment with significant geopolitical returns for the United States and notable returns for American industry.” This “offers a chance to ensure a long-term win for Ukraine and a strategic loss for Russia.”
In a Foreign Affairs article, Burns characterised Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 as marking a “new era” for the CIA, akin to the impact of the 2001 terror attacks.
He underscored the end of the post-Cold War era and stressed the geopolitical significance of continued support for Ukraine; stopping it would prove to be an “own goal of historic proportions.”
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He stated: “Without it, everything that Ukrainians achieved, and that we’ve helped them achieve, will be in jeopardy.”
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg added his voice to the plea during a visit to Capitol Hill on Tuesday, asserting that continued military support for Ukraine is in America’s “own security interest.”
The collective message from key figures underscores the critical importance of sustained assistance for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression.
