It would be bad for Joe and several western leaders if Ukraine lost this war, some retired generals are jumping and dancing on TV for more munitions and arms, especially from America's massive stockpiles of modern weapons and those being replaced by other systems. The arms that were going to Saudi Arabia should be diverted to Ukraine, liberal democracies at war come first under lend lease, or should.
We want to bleed the Russians white, not the Ukrainians and the way to do that is with the arms the experts are howling for, though I feel we are helping far more than we are letting on. Kick Putin out with a maximum of Russian blood and equipment lost and a minimum amount of Ukrainian casualties. It is unfortunately the only path to peace and a lasting peace too, make it impossible for Russia to rise again unless it's as a reformed democracy. Make Ukraine strong, aligned with NATO and with bilateral defense agreements with Turkey and Poland. Make them Europe's primary natural gas supplier and develop the resource to develop and repair the country. Once developed, all the natural gas and oil revenue from Europe going to Russia can go to Ukraine for a decade at least. Europe will be keenly interested in defending it's primary energy supplier, so they will have incentives and a way to get by until they develop alternatives and a green new grid.
The Ukrainians have gotta win to do it though, to free not just themselves, but all of Europe from Russian energy dependence. Even if the gas only lasted for 5 years, it would still be worthwhile and would allow alternatives to be developed, more EVs and energy efficiency upgrades. In a decade most of the cars on the roads of Europe will be EVs, green new grids will use battery energy storage to increase efficiency and use of renewables. In a decade the demand for fossil fuels in Europe could drop dramatically and in other places as well.
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Fareed Zakaria: We must stop Putin's Plan B