Since the war between Russia and Ukraine started, it has affected the lives of citizens and government officials around the globe. The Russian invasion has made life for many within Ukrainian settlements difficult as ship ports and export routes for importing grain are being blocked. Prices for food in most countries have doubled also; residents within Egypt, for example, can hardly afford these new prices with civilians. Hanna Ayyad, a street fruit vendor for Cairo, states, “Some people used to buy 5kg or 10kg of fruit – now they can buy 1kg or 2kg at most. It takes [me] days to sell the same amount of produce [I] used to sell in one day” (El Sirgany and El Wardani). This brings many of Ukraine’s official government and its people to question how to stop the oncoming invasions and deescalate the war, to which many would ask why not with the help of the United States military.
It would not be entirely out of the question for the United States military to help the Ukrainians push back against the Russian invasion. The U.S. military could supply a wide variety of vehicles and weaponry to Ukraine. This would give Ukraine a better chance at winning against Russia along with better defenses to keep future invasions from occurring. Wright argues that U.S. military participation is necessary, as this conflict is a threat to global security and American safety, in particular. The participation of the U.S. is a step to prevent Russia’s potential plans for military invasions outside of Ukraine (Wright). Therefore, the use of American military power and its economic involvement has many benefits for Ukraine and the U.S., as well as the overall peace between countries at the same time.
The opposing argument would be that a significant intrusion into the Ukraine-Russia conflict can weaken the U.S. in the future, making it a target for disputes in the following years. Kammer et al. note that the ties between the Western state and the two countries involved in the conflict are not strong enough for a devastating direct effect on the former’s economy. As a result, the excessive use of military and financial resources to participate in the war may produce more long-term drawbacks than benefits for the U.S. This idea should be considered when determining the level of participation in each situation. Thus, the counterargument against military help is to refrain from excessive support and provide limited assistance for peacekeeping.
Looking at the two sides of this argument, it is apparent that some level of participation in the conflict is vital for the U.S. to ensure global peace and local economic stability. While the country may not directly depend on Ukraine and Russia’s relationship, the international trade connections and complex market systems continue to degrade due to the conflict. Thus, it is crucial to involve some military and financial resources of the U.S. to strengthen Ukraine’s position and move toward a beneficial resolution. At the same time, the country must consider its security on the global stage and preserve its economy and financial stability to protect itself from potential risks.
Works Cited
El Sirgany, Sarah and Lina El Wardani. “Russian Invasion of Ukraine Spurs Economic Crisis in Egypt and Preparations for Unrest.” CNN, 2022.
Kammer, Alfred, et al. “How War in Ukraine is Reverberating Across World’s Regions.” IMFBlog, 2022.
Wright, Robin. “Ukraine Is Now America’s War, too.” The New Yorker, 2022.