Money vs. Lives

Jul 12 2023 The New York Times

Here’s What the Experts Say About Managing Putin by Nicholas Kristof

Some people, on the other side of the Atlantic, think that giving weapons to Ukraine, and financing Ukraine’s struggle against Russian invasion, is expensive and is a sacrifice from from those giving the aid.

It looks different from the countries bordering Russia, especially from those who were forced to participate in the failed Soviet experiment. The West is giving money, and somewhat reluctantly, military hardware, which both are replaceable. Ukraine is the one making the real sacrifice, they are losing lives, which are not replaceable.

And by fighting Russia, they are not only fighting for Ukraine, they are fighting for Europe and the world. If Russia gains anything from this war, the West has lost, and Russian aggression has been validated.

We in the West have been naive, thinking that Russia has changed. It is true that a lot in Russia has changed, but the country is still run by an ex-KGB officer, all dissent is crushed, and people are thrown in jail for criticising the war. We did not wake up with Chechnya or Georgia or Donbas and Crimea, and now we are faced with the nightmare of war in Europe.

If we do not wake up now, then what will it take?

The Baltic countries are small, but they are in NATO, and they have first hand experience of Russia. Maybe it is time to listen, and really hear, what they have to say about Russia, and what it will take to defeat Russia.