Ukraine Could Become the Greatest Casualty of America's Decision

President Biden can stop it.

Putin’s strategy of kicking the economic problem can down the road and handling the situation month by month has finally given him a significant opening. Now, we see the rise of prominent voices like Elon Musk and J.D. Vance—leaders of the so-called "give up your freedom, Ukraine" caucus—moving ever closer to the center of power.

Predicting how the incoming Trump administration will handle this complex geopolitical crisis on Europe’s western border is challenging. One immediate area for potential missteps is sanctions. While existing sanctions have not collapsed the Russian economy, they have placed considerable strain on Putin, complicating his ability to sustain the war effort.

Trump could simply refuse to support the current US-EU sanctions framework, which would provide Putin with much-needed economic relief. This could enable him to prolong the conflict, and with Trump in the White House—likely with Musk by his side—they may push for Ukraine to cede territory, end the conflict, and claim a “victory” for their supporters.

Fortunately, the current administration is still led by Biden until January 20. I have argued many times that the administration’s biggest mistake has been aiming for a strategic stalemate, hoping Putin would eventually withdraw. This approach has not worked over the past two and a half years, and it is unlikely to succeed now.

The solution lies in utilizing the funds allocated by Congress—billions are still available—to significantly enhance Ukraine's combat capabilities. Biden must act decisively, leveraging American resources to bolster Ukraine's defenses to a level where Trump's actions become irrelevant. An effective approach is to deliver more than a thousand ATACMS missiles to Ukraine and place orders to replenish U.S. stocks.

Additionally, Biden should ensure Ukraine has sufficient air-defense missile stocks to last at least six more months. This is entirely achievable.

This is a decisive moment, President Biden.

It is now or never.

I hope and pray that he makes the right choice.