Assignment task:
Is it in America's national interest to defend Ukraine? The textbook defines the national interest as "what's best for the nation in terms of protecting its physical security and promoting economic prosperity." It is the central goal of foreign policy.
Last week, February 24th, marked the 1 year anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The conflict in Ukraine is Europe's biggest and deadliest war since WWII. The U.S. announced a new $2 billion military aid package for Ukraine, along with sanctions and tariff increases on Russia, on the first anniversary of Moscow's invasion. That's after President Biden met his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, in Kyiv on Monday - telling a press conference that the US will back Ukraine for "as long as it takes."
After an unprecedented visit to Ukraine, President Joe Biden told a Warsaw, Poland, crowd that "brutality will never grind down the will of a free Ukraine. Ukraine will never be a victory for Russia. Never." Biden spoke in Poland just days before the anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The United States and its NATO allies have united to defend NATO territory and support Ukraine as it battles to ensure its own survival. "There should be no doubt. Our support for Ukraine will not waver. NATO will not be divided. And we will not tire," Biden added.
Biden boasted of how the west had responded to the aggression from Moscow and said leaders must continue to stand up for freedom and democracy. "When Russia invaded, it wasn't just Ukraine being tested. The whole world faced a test for the ages. Europe was being tested," Biden said from the gardens of the Royal Castle. Biden said that autocrats cannot be appeased but opposed. "Autocrats only understand one word - no, no, no," he said. "No, you will not take my country. No, you will not take my freedom. No, you will not take my future." What's at stake, Biden said, is "freedom." He cast the war as a battle between democracy and autocracy.
Is defending Ukraine in America's national interest? Do you think that the United States should continue to provide Ukraine military assistance "for as long as it takes?" Do you agree that the Ukrainian War is "a battle between democracy and autocracy?" Explain the reasoning behind your opinion. Provide a hyperlink for the source.