Ex-Trump intel chief makes case for more Ukraine aid: ‘Not the time for political games’

Dan Coats, the Trump administration’s former director of national intelligence, said now is “not the time for political games” and urged the U.S. to approve additional aid to Ukraine.

Lawmakers who oppose additional aid to Ukraine without first addressing U.S. needs are making “the wrong choice,” Coates wrote in a guest essay. new york timespublished Thursday.

“The choices America faces are always based on the same foundation: what will best serve the nation,” Coates wrote. “The choice is not about America or something else. America always comes first. In this complex and uncertain world, the real question is what actions align with our core national interests: The question is: does it best contribute to security and economic prosperity?”

“These interests are inextricably tied to global alliances and the strength of international law and cooperation for American democracy to survive and thrive,” he continued. “And the strength of those networks depends on our role as trusted allies and friends, our trustworthiness and, frankly, our virtue.”

Coats said Ukraine’s attempt to defend itself against Russia’s ongoing invasion is the cheapest option to reduce the Kremlin’s military power and ensure the security of the United States and its allies.

“Frankly, helping Ukraine defend itself is by far the lowest-cost way to weaken Russia’s military, deter Russian aggression, and thereby protect itself and its allies.” wrote Coates.

The paper, which advocates for more aid to Ukraine, comes as U.S. aid to the country has been stalled in Congress for more than a year.

The Senate passed a $95 billion foreign aid package in February, including $60 billion for Ukraine. Some hardline Republicans in the House oppose the idea, and even though Senate Republican leaders asked Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) to introduce the bill, lawmakers adjourned this week. There has been no significant progress on this issue since I returned. The bill will be voted on in the House of Representatives.

If Russian President Vladimir Putin is “successful,” European unrest will soar, along with regional defense spending, Coates said.

“The next stage of Putin’s campaign to re-impose Cold War-era Russian hegemony is expected to force NATO to significantly increase its defense budget and plunge the world into an arms race similar to the one leading up to World War II. will,” he wrote. . “Anyone who does not understand the link between European security and our security does not live in the real world.”

Mr. Coates argued that the consequences of the failure to support Ukraine would be felt not only by NATO but also by the United States and its allies.

“China has been watching closely lately to see how firmly the United States stands by its friends, or not,” Coates said in his essay. “Allies, including Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea, are also taking note. All three are nervous about China’s regional ambitions and rely on the United States as a security partner.”

“This is not about money,” he said. “This is about the integrity of America, which is currently in question because of another partisan conflict. Ukraine and the tens of millions of people who live there are pawns in Washington’s political maneuvering. It becomes.”