Ukraine and the United States: Allies in Spirit, Struggle, and Sacrifice

When you strip away the political noise and media spin, a powerful truth stands tall: the United States and Ukraine share more than just a strategic alliance—we share values, a spirit of resilience, and a commitment to defending democracy at all costs.

A Tale of Two Democracies

Both the United States and Ukraine are vibrant, diverse nations. While America is often called a melting pot, Ukraine, too, is home to multiple ethnic groups, languages, and religious traditions. From bustling cities to rural farmland, both nations have long histories of immigration, resilience, and national identity shaped through struggle.

And both countries have become known as breadbaskets of the world. America’s Midwest and Ukraine’s fertile Black Sea plains feed nations far beyond their borders. Agriculture doesn’t just fuel our economies—it defines our cultures, our exports, and our roles as global providers.

Guardians of Democracy

The United States has long seen itself as a defender of democracy around the world. Ukraine now stands on the front lines of that same global fight. Since 2022, Ukrainian soldiers and civilians have stood between a war-criminal regime in Moscow and the rest of Europe.

They are not just defending Kyiv. They are defending the democratic world.

A Promise Made, A Promise Kept

In 1994, the U.S. signed the Budapest Memorandum, pledging to protect Ukraine’s sovereignty in exchange for Ukraine giving up its nuclear arsenal—then the third largest in the world. Ukraine held up its end. We must honor ours.

Yet Donald Trump and his allies repeatedly spread misinformation—wildly exaggerating how much the U.S. has “given” Ukraine. Let’s set the record straight.

The Real Cost: Middle East vs. Ukraine

Between 2001 and 2022, the U.S. spent over $8 trillion on wars and military operations in the Middle East, according to the Costs of War Project at Brown University. That includes:

• $2.3 trillion in Afghanistan

• $2.1 trillion in Iraq

• $355 billion in interest payments

• $1 trillion in veterans’ care

All with direct deployment of U.S. troops, thousands of American casualties, and long-term instability.

Compare that to Ukraine:

• As of early 2025, the U.S. has spent approximately $75–80 billion in aid to Ukraine.

• No official U.S. combat troops have been deployed.

• Most aid is in the form of military equipment, economic support, and humanitarian relief—often manufactured in the U.S., creating jobs here at home.

That’s 1% of what we spent in the Middle East, with a far higher return on investment for global stability and democracy.

Let’s Be Clear:

• Putin started this war. Russia invaded a peaceful, sovereign Ukraine in 2014 and escalated to full-scale invasion in 2022.

• NATO and the U.S. did not provoke this. Ukraine simply wanted independence and peace.

• Biden didn’t start this war. Trump is lying when he says otherwise—and we should all ask: if Trump claims he could stop the war in 24 hours, why didn’t he stop it in 2018, 2019, or 2020?

Trump has repeatedly claimed that he could “end the war in Ukraine in 24 hours,” implying that he has some sort of secret leverage or diplomatic magic. But here’s the problem with that claim:

The war started in 2014. Trump was president from 2017 to 2021.

If he truly had the power to stop Russian aggression in Ukraine, why didn’t he do it during his presidency? Specifically:

• In 2018: Russia had already annexed Crimea (2014), was backing separatists in Eastern Ukraine, and ongoing fighting in Donbas had already killed thousands. Trump could have taken stronger action—more sanctions, military support, diplomatic pressure. He didn’t.

• In 2019: Trump infamously withheld military aid from Ukraine in an attempt to coerce President Zelenskyy into helping him politically. That weakened Ukraine and signaled to Putin that U.S. support was conditional, not reliable.

• In 2020: Russia’s military buildup continued. Trump remained silent or deferential to Putin, even downplaying Russian election interference and undermining NATO.

So when Trump says he could end the war “in 24 hours,” it’s a distraction. He had four years to use diplomacy or deterrence—and he didn’t lift a finger to stop the war from escalating. In fact, his actions helped embolden Russia.

The truth? Trump appeased Putin. He withheld aid from Ukraine. He weakened NATO. And he sent a dangerous signal to autocrats everywhere: America is for sale.

“If Trump could end the war in 24 hours… why hasn’t he picked up the phone?”

Russia is still bombing Ukrainian homes. Civilians are still dying. Families are still being torn apart.

If Trump has that kind of power, and he actually wanted peace, wouldn’t he have used it by now?

The truth?

He either can’t end the war—or he doesn’t want to.

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Why might Trump not want the war to end?

1. He praises Putin.

   • He’s called him a “genius” and “savvy.”

   • He admires authoritarian strongmen more than democratic allies.

   • Ending the war means confronting Putin, not flattering him.

2. He undermined Ukraine during his presidency.

   • He withheld military aid unless they helped him dig up dirt on Biden.

   • He weakened NATO—the alliance that deters Russian aggression.

3. He uses the war as a political weapon.

   • Trump blames Biden for a war Putin started.

   • He treats Ukraine as a partisan issue instead of a moral one.

4. He thrives on chaos.

   • A world in crisis makes it easier for him to sell fear and division.

   • An ongoing war gives him a platform to promise impossible solutions.

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So no—Trump hasn’t stopped the war.
Because he doesn’t actually want peace.

He wants power. And if that means letting Putin burn Ukraine to the ground to gain political leverage, so be it.

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Zelenskyy Is Not Just a Leader—He’s a Global Hero

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy didn’t flee when Russian bombs began to fall. He stayed. He fought. He rallied a nation and inspired the world.

While Trump praises Putin, Zelenskyy puts his life on the line to defend democracy. The contrast could not be more stark.

The Stakes Couldn’t Be Higher

If Putin wins in Ukraine, he won’t stop there. Moldova. Georgia. The Baltics. This is how world wars begin. But for now, Ukrainians are the ones doing the fighting—for all of us.

This Is Our Fight Too

• For democracy over dictatorship.

• For truth over propaganda.

• For allies who keep their word.

Ukraine is fighting without our troops. They are shedding blood for values we hold dear.

We owe them more than skepticism. We owe them our continued support.

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Call to Action:

1. Contact your representatives. Demand continued aid to Ukraine and accountability for those spreading misinformation.

2. Share this post to cut through the lies and elevate the truth.

3. Support independent media covering the war honestly.

4. Vote in 2026. Corrupt politicians who bow to authoritarian regimes have no place in our democracy.

📚 Further Reading: U.S.–Ukraine Partnership & The Fight for Democracy

1. The Budapest Memorandum
📝 Ukraine Memorandum of Security Assurances
🔗 U.S. State Department Archive (1994)

2. Middle East War Costs
📝 Costs of War Project – Brown University’s Watson Institute
🔗 watson.brown.edu/costsofwar

3. U.S. Aid to Ukraine: The Real Numbers
📝 How Much Aid Has the U.S. Sent Ukraine?
🔗 Council on Foreign Relations (CFR)

4. Trump’s Ukraine Scandal & Aid Freeze
📝 Timeline: Trump, Ukraine, and the Impeachment Inquiry
🔗 PBS NewsHour

5. Trump’s Praise of Putin
📝 Trump Calls Putin's Ukraine Moves 'Genius'
🔗 The Guardian

6. No U.S. Troops in Ukraine
📝 Biden Reaffirms: No American Troops in Ukraine
🔗 Reuters

7. Ukraine’s Global Agricultural Role
📝 Ukraine: The World’s Breadbasket Under Fire
🔗 UN World Food Programme

8. Zelenskyy: Global Hero
📝 TIME’s Person of the Year: Volodymyr Zelenskyy
🔗 TIME Magazine