A lend-lease program for Ukraine, “real sanctions on Russia”, and “a revitalized” NATO are among solutions to the ongoing conflict proposed by Mike Pompeo, former U.S. Secretary of State under Donald Trump.
The article, which Pompeo, who served as State Secretary from 2018 until the end of Trump’s tenure in 2021, was coauthored by David J. Urban, a managing director at the BGR Group think tank, whose team “includes former senior-level appointees in the White House, Congress and Executive Branch departments and agencies,” according to the BGR website.
It was published on The Wall Street Journal’s (WSJ) website on July 25 and the following day in print.
“Pundits claim that if Donald Trump is re-elected, he will cut off aid to Ukraine, give away its territory, and deal directly with Vladimir Putin to impose an ignominious ‘peace’ on the country,” the article opens.
According to Pompeo and Urban, however, “There’s no evidence that such capitulation will be part of President Trump’s policy,” and they point to various policies enacted by the Trump administration that they say serve as “evidence to the contrary.”
As a counterargument, they named lifting the arms embargo on providing weapons to Ukraine in 2017, which provided the country with Javelin missiles that appear to have been crucial in stemming the Russian tide in the early days of the invasion.
It was published on The Wall Street Journal’s (WSJ) website on July 25 and the following day in print.
“Pundits claim that if Donald Trump is re-elected, he will cut off aid to Ukraine, give away its territory, and deal directly with Vladimir Putin to impose an ignominious ‘peace’ on the country,” the article opens.
According to Pompeo and Urban, however, “There’s no evidence that such capitulation will be part of President Trump’s policy,” and they point to various policies enacted by the Trump administration that they say serve as “evidence to the contrary.”
As a counterargument, they named lifting the arms embargo on providing weapons to Ukraine in 2017, which provided the country with Javelin missiles that appear to have been crucial in stemming the Russian tide in the early days of the invasion.
They also credit Trump with giving “political cover” to House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson who decided to put the Ukraine aid package (bundled with aid to Israel and Taiwan) to vote after much stalling.
Accusing Biden’s administration of weakness, the article’s authors present Trump as a candidate who could “re-establish peace through strength.”
Among the propositions put forward by the article are ways to “shrink Mr. Putin’s war-crimes budget,” which the authors believe could be achieved by tapping into the U.S. domestic energy resources and putting them on the global market, thereby driving down prices, as well as working closer with Israel and Saudi Arabia against Russia’s ally, the resource-rich Iran and “squeezing Russia out of global energy markets.”
Further to that effect, the authors propose imposing “real sanctions on Russia,” putting forward that the policies of the current White House administration do not adequately sanction Russian financial institutions that continue to deal with Russia’s energy production, which, as they point out, are “the most important revenue source for the Kremlin’s war machine.”
They also call for a “Bulk up America’s defense industry” in order to show “adversaries,” which Pompeo and Urban explicitly identify Russia and China as, that “they can’t compete with U.S. defense capabilities.”
They also call for an uptick in the target defense spending for NATO members, and putting it at 3% of GDP.
Although not explicitly stating who should step up their defense budget, NATO estimates of 2024 spending indicate that only five members of the alliance meet or exceed that target.
Among the propositions put forward by the article are ways to “shrink Mr. Putin’s war-crimes budget,” which the authors believe could be achieved by tapping into the U.S. domestic energy resources and putting them on the global market, thereby driving down prices, as well as working closer with Israel and Saudi Arabia against Russia’s ally, the resource-rich Iran and “squeezing Russia out of global energy markets.”
Further to that effect, the authors propose imposing “real sanctions on Russia,” putting forward that the policies of the current White House administration do not adequately sanction Russian financial institutions that continue to deal with Russia’s energy production, which, as they point out, are “the most important revenue source for the Kremlin’s war machine.”
They also call for a “Bulk up America’s defense industry” in order to show “adversaries,” which Pompeo and Urban explicitly identify Russia and China as, that “they can’t compete with U.S. defense capabilities.”
They also call for an uptick in the target defense spending for NATO members, and putting it at 3% of GDP.
Although not explicitly stating who should step up their defense budget, NATO estimates of 2024 spending indicate that only five members of the alliance meet or exceed that target.
The U.S. itself is estimated to spend 3.38% of its GDP on defense this year, landing it in third place. Poland leads the way with 4.12%, with Estonia
spending 3.43% (second) and Latvia and Greece trailing behind the U.S. (3.15% and 3.08% respectively). Lithuania, the third of the Baltic States, is close to reaching the goalposts set by Pompeo with 2.85% of GDP spent on defense and sixth in the alliance as a whole. It should be of little surprise that the Baltic States are eager to spend generously on defense, being acutely aware of the Russian threat and saddled with the memory of a brutal Soviet occupation freshly in their minds to additionally motivate them.
Aiding Ukraine
In terms of direct support for Ukraine, the authors propose a “$500 billion ‘lend-lease' program,” comparing it to the assistance rendered by the U.S. to Britain during World War II, which they believe is a way to “send a clear signal to Mr. Putin that he will never win.” To further drive the point home, they suggest lifting “all restrictions on the type of weapons Ukraine can obtain and use.”
“This will re-establish a position of strength, which Mr. Putin will understand means the war must end,” Pompeo and Urban write, adding that by doing so, Putin “will face rising costs and no chance of further gain.”
The authors of the WSJ article believe this will set a clear message that can serve as the foundation for a peace deal, one which would ensure Ukraine is in a position to defend itself so strong, that it would deter Russia from ever attempting to attack the country again.
Furthermore, they advocate that Russia’s illegitimate territorial gains in Ukraine are not recognized internationally, that the Crimean peninsula (internationally recognized as part of Ukraine, but under Russian occupations since 2014 - TVP World) be demilitarized, and that the cost of Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction is funded using “Russia’s frozen central-bank reserves.”
Pompeo and Urban also advocate for Ukraine to join NATO as soon as possible, but they also expect that it will be the European NATO members should be the ones that “assume the burden of protecting it,” suggesting establishing a $100 billion fund for arming Ukraine, that would be provided for by the U.S. at a maximum of 20%, “as is the case with other alliance common budgets.” They also further argue that the European Union should also “swiftly” accept Ukraine as a member state, “and help it modernize and develop its economy.”
“If Russia complies with these terms, the West will gradually lift sanctions. They will be fully removed once Ukraine is in both NATO and the EU,” the authors state.
Pompeo and Urban believe that such policies “and not the half-measures of the Biden administration, will end the war, establish a lasting peace,” while also ensuring that the U.S.’s European allies bear the burden of reestablishing “freedom and security“ in Europe, while the Trump administration will then be able to focus on domestic agenda.
“This will re-establish a position of strength, which Mr. Putin will understand means the war must end,” Pompeo and Urban write, adding that by doing so, Putin “will face rising costs and no chance of further gain.”
The authors of the WSJ article believe this will set a clear message that can serve as the foundation for a peace deal, one which would ensure Ukraine is in a position to defend itself so strong, that it would deter Russia from ever attempting to attack the country again.
Furthermore, they advocate that Russia’s illegitimate territorial gains in Ukraine are not recognized internationally, that the Crimean peninsula (internationally recognized as part of Ukraine, but under Russian occupations since 2014 - TVP World) be demilitarized, and that the cost of Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction is funded using “Russia’s frozen central-bank reserves.”
Pompeo and Urban also advocate for Ukraine to join NATO as soon as possible, but they also expect that it will be the European NATO members should be the ones that “assume the burden of protecting it,” suggesting establishing a $100 billion fund for arming Ukraine, that would be provided for by the U.S. at a maximum of 20%, “as is the case with other alliance common budgets.” They also further argue that the European Union should also “swiftly” accept Ukraine as a member state, “and help it modernize and develop its economy.”
“If Russia complies with these terms, the West will gradually lift sanctions. They will be fully removed once Ukraine is in both NATO and the EU,” the authors state.
Pompeo and Urban believe that such policies “and not the half-measures of the Biden administration, will end the war, establish a lasting peace,” while also ensuring that the U.S.’s European allies bear the burden of reestablishing “freedom and security“ in Europe, while the Trump administration will then be able to focus on domestic agenda.
Source: WSJ, TVP World
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