United States Position on Russia Ukraine War

By Grace Yuan ’23

While the U.S. maintains that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is criminal and unwarranted, the U.S. is clear about pursuing non-combative actions for influencing the end of the conflict. Since Russia attacked Ukraine, the U.S. has upheld that Russia violated and continues to violate international laws, including the transatlantic Alliance’s provisions. The U.S. reiterates that Russia’s attempt to control Ukraine, via military attack, is criminal because it is internationally unlawful to forcefully alter Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and democracy. The U.S. has been intervening diplomatically, offering the most humanitarian, economic, and military aid to Ukraine while ensuring that U.S. military forces do not directly attack Russians in Ukraine’s favor (United States Department of State, 2022). President Joe Biden, clarified that “[d]irect confrontation between NATO and Russia is World War Three, something we [the U.S.] must strive to prevent” (Nast, 2022).

Simultaneously, the U.S. continues to impose economic sanctions against Russian political leaders — including President Putin’s family, financial bodies, businesses, commodities and services. This move is aimed at weakening Russia as much as possible; hence compelling it to stop its attack on Ukraine (Nast, 2022). Based on its criticism of Russia’s motives for invading Ukraine, it is notable that the U.S. is disgusted with Russian aggression.
 
By offering vast and the highest financial donations for the enhancement of humanitarian, economic and democratic outcomes of Ukrainians, the U.S. affirms that its goal is to influence Ukraine’s reclamation of its prewar independence, democracy and sovereignty. By insisting on diplomatic solutions, as well as implementing economic sanctions, the U.S. has demonstrated that as much as it seeks restoration of peace in Ukraine, it intends to avoid jeopardizing international peace –a scenario that could occur if direct third-party military intervention in the Ukraine/Russia conflict occurs. Overall, U.S.’s position is to wisely and amicably help end the war without risking any hazardous ripple effects from direct military involvement.
 
References
Nast, C. (2022, May 1). Ukraine is now America’s war, too. The New Yorker. https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/ukraine-is-now-americas-war-too.
 
United States Department of State. (2022, February 28). United with Ukraine. https://www.state.gov/united-with-ukraine/