On Tuesday, Dec. 12, congressional Republicans cold-shouldered Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The Ukrainian president came to Washington, D.C. seeking a new aid package for its war with Russia. GOP legislators were not impressed. “Too expensive,” some said. “Security on America’s southern border comes first, with Ukraine aid later, if at all,” said others. “Besides, America has moved on”.

Penny wise, pound foolish. Over the nearly two years of this war, we have given Ukraine nearly $75 billion in aid. That’s less than the state of Virginia’s annual budget (PBS, Oct. 1, 2023). By comparison, we spent about $300 million per day on the Afghan-Iraq wars (Forbes, Aug. 16, 2021). That means Ukraine aid now equals about 250 days of our 20-year-long post-9/11 conflicts.

Republicans want us to turn our back on Vladimir Putin’s aggression. Just give him what he wants! They don’t believe — or care — that he intends to reassemble the territory of the old Soviet Union. More importantly, they don’t remember that appeasement doesn’t work. It failed in 1938, when Hitler seized Czechoslovakia, and it will fail again in 2024 if America throws Ukraine overboard.

If Putin defeats Ukraine, he will surely go after other former Soviet satellites, now NATO countries. That will drag the U.S. into direct conflict with Russia. Then the cost in American blood and treasure will be truly staggering.

Bottom line: Supporting Ukraine is a smart investment. Republicans must wake up to the danger in their opposition and approve a new Ukraine aid package.

JOHN E. LAYCOCK,

Presque Isle