Global Times

Ukraine risks sliding into a debt trap under US lend- lease act

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Who is the war machine in today’s world? What Moscow and Washington did on Monday could offer clues.

Although Russia is in a war with Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin did not mention “Ukraine” once during his speech at the Victory Day celebratio­ns in Moscow.

He stressed Russia’s security concerns but avoided inflammato­ry remarks that could fuel any dangerous escalation of the situation. In contrast, the Joe Biden administra­tion on Monday made no secret of its intention to fan the flames and prolong the conflict. It urged the Congress to quickly approve a $ 33 billion supplement­al aid bill for Ukraine before the Pentagon runs out of funds to send weapons from its stockpiles to the war- torn country by the third week of May, while at the same time, President Biden signed into law a lend- lease act that will expedite the process of sending military aid to Ukraine.

It’s unknown whether the Congress will approve it, but the $ 33 billion Biden is asking for dwarfs the $ 22.5 billion he is requesting from the Congress for the COVID- 19 response. The US doesn’t care about American lives, nor will it take lives of Ukrainians into account. The Biden administra­tion has prioritize­d military aid to Ukraine because Washington is fighting a proxy war against Russia by supplying military aid to Ukraine.

More US weapons have caused more Ukrainians to die. Worse, the Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend- Lease Act of 2022, which was signed into law by Biden, would drag Ukraine into a debt trap, turning the war- torn country into a new colony of the US. The act allows the US to use the military lend- lease program to speed up the transfer of weapons, military equipment, medicine and food to Ukraine. It is anticipate­d that the recipient country will have to pay later.

“It will become a serious shackle on Ukraine. Ukraine will have to pay both the principal and interest for the various weapons and equipment it is to receive from the US in the future. The US is a businessma­n. It won’t do business that will bring losses to itself,” military expert Song Zhongping commented.

The lend- lease program is not a cheap one, and America’s evil intention is obvious. Support Ukraine to fight to the last drop of Ukrainian blood by providing them the so- called military aid, then ask future generation­s of Ukrainians to pay for all the ammunition, equipment and food that the US will have provided.

The lend- lease act updates a 1941 law the US used to help its allies during World War II ( WWII). Under lend- lease, Britain received weapons from the US during WWII. The payments weren’t completed until 2006, 61 years after the end of WWII.

Imagine how the lend- lease program will subject Ukraine to the influence of the US in future decades.

“The US is the largest beneficiar­y of a protracted war in Ukraine. The country’s militaryin­dustrial complex has made a considerab­le sum of money from conflicts. The biggest loser will be Ukraine and its people,” Song said, emphasizin­g that Ukraine will become more fragmented, be dragged into a quagmire of poverty, backwardne­ss and debt with the US continuous­ly pouring in more weapons and thwarting efforts for a peaceful resolution. The US is a vampire who makes money from chaos and war. Ukrainians’ blood will be sucked by the US not only now, but also after the war is over.

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