Time is of the essence

“As long as it takes” were the words of President Biden as he described the duration of our commitment to the freedom of Ukraine [“Biden, Putin deliver dueling speeches,” front page, Feb. 22].

It sounded reassuring, but time is not on our side, or on Ukraine’s side. This is even more true as China considers sending lethal aid to the Russians. Time is of the essence.

So how long is “as long as it takes”? It’s indeterminate if we cede the initiative to Russia and its allies.

On the other hand, it is within the United States’ power, and NATO’S, to make it sooner rather than later by accelerating the delivery of weapons to Ukraine and giving it the means to gain the initiative.

Promising tanks that might not arrive for as long as a year is of little to no value to Ukraine today. Piecemeal delivery of weapons and ammunition stretched out over many, many months only prolongs the war and makes an unsatisfactory outcome more likely. We must not let Russian President Vladimir Putin’s veiled threats of escalation limit our freedom of action in doing what is necessary to assure Ukraine’s success.

Russia cannot be allowed to prevail in this war. The United States and NATO must move now to give Ukraine its best opportunity to win.

Alan B. Salisbury, Mclean