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A few weeks ago, our government offered to evacuate Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to safety, which he refused with the now-famous retort, "I need ammunition, not a ride." As President Zelensky and Ukrainian men and women of every age and from every walk of life have repeatedly reminded us, they are ready to fight for their country for as long as it takes. And as long as Ukraine fights for its survival, the United States must show that it will answer President Zelensky's call for ammunition and provide Ukraine with unflinching support, including by supporting a Ukrainian insurgency.
The stakes for the Ukrainian people must not be understated as they face the prospect of losing their country, as well as their lives, to a Russian dictator unwilling to respect their independence and ready to slaughter civilians to fulfill his ambitions. If the imperative to help a sovereign people besieged by Russian President Vladimir Putin's ongoing aggression were not enough, the Russian invasion also represents a test of American global leadership and our ability to maintain a world order that forcefully affirms the supremacy of law over the aggression of autocrats.
While putting American troops on the ground in Ukraine would only increase the risk of an even more dangerous, potentially nuclear escalation between Russia and the full NATO alliance, we must pursue an approach that supports Ukraine in reasserting control of its territory, expelling Russian forces and defending its sovereignty.
In the immediate term, supporting Ukraine means building on the progress of our recent sanctions by approving and shipping additional aid supplies, including the anti-tank ammunition President Zelensky has requested. It also means providing the humanitarian aid necessary to support those trapped near the front lines of the conflict and those displaced by it. The flow of aid and arms from the United States and our allies must continue to support the Ukrainian government, its people and their armed forces. And as we help the Ukrainian military turn back the Russian advance and hopefully bring the war to a rapid conclusion rooted in the recognition of Ukrainian sovereignty, we must also prepare for additional contingencies, including supporting Ukrainian insurgencies against the Russian invasion.
That's why I've introduced the bipartisan Supplying Ukraine with Provisions to Protect against Ongoing Russian Threats (SUPPORT) Act to make it official United States policy to support Ukrainian insurgents opposing the Russian invasion. My legislation would initiate plans for the United States to support a Ukrainian insurgency through both lethal and non-lethal assistance, including intelligence sharing. Though our primary focus must remain on supporting Ukrainian forces and civilians already in the field, we need to be ready to embrace and assist additional Ukrainian fighting forces.
In addition, the SUPPORT Act would require an intelligence assessment of opportunities for the United States to deter Russian aggression in the "gray zone"—the area between war and peace, which includes nontraditional forms of interstate conflict such as cyberattacks. As NATO unites against Putin's belligerence, countering such operations is vital because Putin seeks to exact a toll on NATO nations for supporting Ukraine. While such strikes may be inevitable, expanded American cyber defense efforts will help protect our country and allies against any attempt to weaken our commitment to Ukraine.
The stakes of the war in Ukraine are enormous for the world and immeasurable for those whose nation it could destroy. If Russia's unbridled, unjustifiable and illegal aggression is permitted to succeed, the world will have lost a democracy, imperiling others across the world before emboldened autocracies, including the People's Republic of China.
The Ukrainians have shown the strength of their dedication to their democracy time and again, now we must show ours through increased aid and a commitment that will extend until Ukraine drives Putin's forces back. The title of Ukraine's national anthem translates into English as "Ukraine Has Not Perished." We must help the Ukrainian people ensure it never will.
Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi is a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
