JRL NEWSLINK: “Does War in Ukraine Impact Vital U.S. Interests?” – Russia Matters

In the more than six months following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the U.S. and its allies have worked with surprising cohesion and efficiency to pass multiple rounds of sanctions on Moscow and ramp up military, economic and humanitarian aid for Kyiv. Still, conspicuously absent from these efforts are Western military boots on the ground. Although 40,000 troops under direct NATO command are deployed on its eastern flank, ready to defend the alliance itself, U.S. President Joe Biden has made clear he has no intention of sending American forces into Ukraine as have leaders of other NATO countries. As the White House’s then press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters the day after Putin launched the invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24: “It is not in our interest to be in a war with Russia. And so, no, we are not sending U.S. troops to Ukraine.” Psaki has left the White House, but her statement, nevertheless, continues to beg the following questions: Do Ukraine and the war it is fighting against Russia impact vital U.S. interests?1 If yes, then, why and how? If no, then why not? Below, you will find a sampling of pre-Feb. 24 and post-Feb. 24 answers to these questions, as given by U.S./Western policymakers and policy influentials (each section’s entries are in alphabetical order).