Tom Minear: Donald Trump’s Republicans abandoning Ukraine in sickening pro-Russia shift

Ukrainian soldiers are running out of ammo and refreshing their phones for news of overseas aid. Tom Minear says the world must act before the potential return of Donald Trump.

Two years ago, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy uttered six famous words that rallied the world to support his country’s fight against Russia: “I need ammunition, not a ride.”

Now Ukraine is running out – and too many of its allies are no longer running to help.

Two years since Russia’s invasion, the Australian government still has not reopened its embassy in Kyiv, unlike most of our allies. It is typical of a response that is now more bureaucratic than brave.

People hold signs and flags at a rally to mark the second anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and ten years since it annexed Crimea at Boston Common in Boston, Massachusetts. Picture: AFP

To mark the anniversary, Australia sent $50m to an international fund to bolster Ukraine’s military and slapped new sanctions on Russia. That’s all well and good, but what about finding a way to put our hardware into action instead of finding excuses?

Australia’s grounded Taipan helicopters that Ukraine wanted are being disassembled and buried. No deal has been reached on sending our retired F/A-18 fighter jets and our ageing Abrams tanks are similarly sitting idle.

While providing this firepower would not be easy or cheap, surely we can justify the effort and cost when Ukrainians are giving up their lives to defend the rules-based order we all rely upon.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (left), Belgium's Prime Minister Alexander De Croo (right) and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (centre) attend a joint press conference on the second anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Picture: AFP

At least Australia’s political leaders – in words if not always in actions – remain unwavering on the importance of standing with Ukraine. Here in the US, Donald Trump’s Republicans are shamefully abandoning Mr Zelenskyy and his people in a sickening pro-Russia shift.

They have no interest in defending their allies or the values they purport to share, instead making the nakedly political argument that the US should be defending its own porous borders rather than Ukraine’s, as though their country is not capable of doing both.

Trump, if he is re-elected, claims he could end the war in 24 hours. He thinks of it as just another business deal, and that Mr Zelenskyy should cut his losses and cede Ukrainian territory.

Former US president and 2024 presidential hopeful Donald Trump kisses the US flag as he arrives to speak during the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) meeting. Picture: AFP

This frightening prospect makes it all the more important for Congress to support Ukraine now. A $US60bn ($91bn) package passed the Senate this month and would likely be supported by the House as well, but with the Republicans in charge, Speaker Mike Johnson refused to put it to a vote and instead called a two-week recess.

Meanwhile, on the front line, Ukrainian soldiers are calling off strikes on their enemies because they do not have enough ammunition. They huddle together and refresh their phones for news from Washington DC. When will help be on the way?