Ukraine’s audacious drone attack on Russian air force bases was a remarkable display of courage and resourcefulness. The destruction of several strategic bombers is another reminder that Kyiv remains determined in its struggle against Moscow’s invasion.
President Donald Trump should find inspiration in the bold attack. If he can muster even a fraction of the resolve shown by Ukraine, he can help broker his long-promised end to the war.
When Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, many observers did not expect the Ukrainian government to survive the weekend.
With Russian paratroopers landing at Hostomel Airport, just an hour away from Kyiv’s presidential residence, and Russian tanks rolling across the famous steppes of Eastern Ukraine, the situation seemed dire. The Biden administration even offered Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his family a trip out of the country.
Given these circumstances, many world leaders would have fled. Many militaries would have collapsed. Ukraine, however, remained defiant. According to the U.S., Zelenskyy’s response to the evacuation offer was unequivocal — “The fight is here; I need ammunition, not a ride” — and still defines the Ukrainian resistance.
Nearly a quarter of Ukrainians were displaced from their homes by the outbreak of war, including around half of the country’s children. And despite billions of dollars’ worth of aid from the U.S. and European allies, Ukrainians have been consistently outgunned. Almost 400,000 Ukrainian troops have been killed or wounded since the war began.
That has not stopped Ukrainians from fighting vigorously for their freedom.
Despite not having a significant Navy, Ukraine has succeeded in neutralizing Russia’s Black Sea fleet. And now, despite not having a significant air force, Ukraine has succeeded in destroying at least a dozen expensive and hard to replace strategic bombers deep inside Russia. The planes, which were built to drop nuclear bombs on American and Western European cities, have been equipped with cruise missiles and unleashed on Ukrainian civilians since the start of the war.
Given how hard the Ukrainians have fought with their limited resources, it is worth asking what they could accomplish if they were given the weapons they’ve long asked for. For too long, the Biden administration resisted calls to give Ukraine U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets and the kind of long-range missiles that could target Russian military assets deep behind the front lines.
Sadly, even though he claimed he would end the war “within 24 hours,” President Trump has pulled back U.S. support for Ukraine and shown tepid interest in reaching a ceasefire deal.
Trump has also repeatedly undercut Zelenskyy and provided rhetorical support to Putin, expressing skepticism of any criticism directed toward the Russian leader, and seeking to force Ukraine to make territorial concessions without guaranteeing their freedom and sovereignty in the future.
Trump should instead move ahead with additional economic sanctions and impress upon Moscow that he is serious about his demands for a ceasefire.
More than three years into the war, it is evident the Ukrainian people will not surrender their freedom lightly. The sooner Trump and Putin realize that Ukraine will never quit, the sooner this conflict can end.
The Philadelphia Inquirer/Tribune News Service
