US President Biden has proposed a budget increase of $ 5.8 trillion in the military expenditure of the USA. The plan includes a 9.8% increase in Pentagon funding, which includes support for Ukraine. The USA considers Ukraine to be an integral part of the Western community’s common security system. The Russian invasion of Ukraine and the effective resistance of the Ukrainian army have shown that even in the 21st century, large-scale wars aiming to seize the territory of a sovereign country in a style evoking mediaeval warfare can still take place. Militaristic Russia is a threat to the entire civilised world, which needs to count a strong Ukraine amongst its allies.
The war against Ukraine unleashed by Russia was a shock for the whole world. The Kremlin expected the Ukrainian army to crumble within a few hours to a resounding defeat, but even on the first day of confrontation with the invaders, it became clear that Ukraine had already learned important lessons from the eight years of Russia’s illegal occupation of Donbass and drew the right conclusions about impending Russian aggression. Russia suffered a tactical defeat and the advance of the invaders was halted. The heroic resistance of Ukrainian troops forced the West to reconsider its attitude towards Ukraine and its army. It became apparent that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are of a higher standard than some member countries of the NATO Alliance.
Against the backdrop of globalisation and the weakening of American influence around the world, Washington is interested in finding strong allies near the Russian periphery. Ukraine, as a country which was a target of Russian armed aggression twice within the last eight years, qualifies according to this criterion. Accordingly, it is no surprise that the United States is interested in strengthening Ukraine’s military potential.
Ukraine has no choice but to integrate into the Western community. With Russia as a neighbour, Ukraine has no choice but to constantly strengthen its army. Ukraine has learned from bitter experience of the last eight years, and now it needs to build an ultramodern army in the likeness of the NATO’s most advanced nations. The invasion of 24 February has confirmed that the Kremlin will never give up its goal of attacking and attempting to take over Ukraine by force of arms. The only thing that can save Ukraine is a strong army created in cooperation with its western partners.
