Whenever I post news and analysis on the Russo-Ukrainian War, it generally doesn’t generate large numbers of hits. Susan Katz Keating, publisher of Soldier of Fortune Magazine – SOF, recently said that articles related to the war are not of high interest. I don’t believe it’s that people and readership don’t care, but more perhaps because people are warred-out.
Meanwhile, here we are, the US and Ukraine have reached a mineral deal, which is tantamount to a war debt repayment program without saying or requiring a war debt repayment per se.
For those who’d argue that Biden never had war debt repayment on the military aid provided to Ukraine, ergo Ukraine shouldn’t have to pay back any war debt, I say this is silly thinking. Throughout history, whenever countries are at war, and there is aid to a beligerant nation or entity of that war, expect a war debt and to repay for that aid. Britain in WWI and WWII received aid from the US, Canada, etc, and Britain had a war debt to pay off. It only paid off WWII’s debt to the US on December 29, 2006. And Britain’s WWI debt was paid off on 9 March 2015– WWI began in 1914. The US had a war debt to pay off to France for its assistance with the American rebels of the Revolutionary War. (France went so far in debt from helping the American rebels that it created economic havoc, which in turn led to the French Revolution.)
BBC News — Seven takeaways from US-Ukraine resources deal
The US and Ukraine have signed a deal that will give Washington access to some of the war-torn country’s natural resources.
Months in the making, it sets up an investment fund that Ukraine hopes will cement US assistance as the country struggles to repel Russia three years after the invasion.
The Ukrainians have now published the deal and there have been public statements from both sides. Here are seven key takeaways.
No Ukrainian payback to US
Trump has previously demanded that Ukraine pay back the $350bn (£264bn) of aid that he claims has been provided by the US during the war – a condition that Zelensky rejected.
But Washington appears to have made a concession. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said the agreement did not dictate that his country pay back any supposed “debt”.
Trump has styled the agreement as a win for his side as well, saying his country will get back “much more in theory” than the billions that were provided to Ukraine by his predecessor Joe Biden.
Tougher tone from US towards Putin
The language used by the US in announcing the deal is notably harsher towards Russia than is usually the case from the Trump administration.
The agreement refers to “Russia’s full-scale invasion” and the US Treasury Department adds that “no state or person who financed or supplied the Russian war machine will be allowed to benefit from the reconstruction of Ukraine”.
To read more see: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yg456mzn8o
The number of lives lost in this war are astromical and not sustainable.– RdM
–RdM