Three years into Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, the U.S. and other Western countries (especially the EU) are providing tens of billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine with no end in sight. In Trump’s most recent call with Putin, the Russian president showed no interest in peace and later again publicly stated he wants all of Ukraine. Putin resumed bombing Ukraine moments after the presidential call. According to a CBC news report, in June 2025 alone, Russia sent nearly 5500 rockets and missiles into Ukraine. Another report indicates Russia plans to attack Ukraine with 1000 drones a day in August. Western aid has not stopped the Russians. But is there a way that Trump can make Russia pay and change all this?

Let’s take a sober look at how Russia is currently funding the war.

Russia’s war has resulted in over in estimated and damage to Ukraine’s economy and infrastructure. The breakdown is staggering:

An estimated total of in and damage—and counting.

While U.S. taxpayers send aid to Ukraine, Western countries continue to buy Russian oil and gas, funnelling money directly into Putin’s war effort. Since February 2022, Western purchases of Russian energy have exceededthe aid sent to Ukraine. In short, while Russia wages war on Ukraine, stealing and destroying its assets, America and its allies have been covertly funding Russia while defending Ukraine in slow motion. Continuation of this practice and introducing pauses of U.S. support for Ukraine are heading us to Russia’s victory and a shameful retreat for America.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I need to indicate I was the former President of the Canada Ukraine Foundation and am a senior advisor to the Centre for Eastern European Democracy in Toronto.

That said, according to prominent author and historian Timothy Ash, supporting Ukraine to win the war effort would cost about $150 billion annually. Pricey? Sure. But compare that to the $4.5 trillion NATO will need to spend over the next decade if Ukraine loses. Consider: if Ukraine loses, millions of refugees will likely flood into Europe—headed westward, including to North America. A destabilized global economy will likely ensue. As a stronger, more defiant Russia likely could confront NATO and massive defence spending increases would result. China, seeing the withdrawal of European interest in the East, will be emboldened to strike at Taiwan. North Korea will exert greater assertiveness and power. Let’s face it, the Russian menace is immediate and real, posing a threat not only to Ukraine but to all of us. The reality is China is a long-term adversary we could face one day, but it knows that a Russian defeat will weaken China. This is not an argument for charity or endless American support for foreign wars. It’s about clear thinking and how to weaken America’s most dangerous enemy now while keeping U.S. troops out of harm’s way. In short, it’s about getting Russia out of all of Ukraine, period.

Firstly, the latest statistics show that the total U.S. aid to Ukraine since 2022 is about $185 billion. Europe has contributed slightly more. Meanwhile, $330 billion of frozen Russian sovereign assets remain untouched in Western banks. According to Timothy Ash, that money could fund Ukraine’s defence and rebuilding for the next three years alone. America has previously seized Iraqi and Afghan funds for similar reasons. The law can—and should—be updated to seize Russian assets now. And America must take the lead. If the U.S. acts quickly and decisively, its allies like Canada, the U.K., and Europe will likely follow suit. That’s real leadership. That’s putting America First.

Secondly, it’s time for better thinking in Washington. Europe and others should not be buying energy from Russia but from America, Canada, and our other allies. Let’s remember that America is a net energy exporter, and Canada has great potential to be equally strong. A shift in this thinking would keep Western money in safe hands, create jobs domestically, and cut off the Kremlin’s cash flow. Any country still purchasing Russian oil and gas, such as China, India, Turkey, Brazil, and certain EU member states, should face strict U.S. sanctions. Instead of Russia earning three times as much income from selling oil and gas to Western nations as Ukraine has received in aid since February 2022, let’s ensure America and its allies keep those profits, removing them from Russia’s reach. We cannot afford to fund both sides of this war.

In short, assisting Ukraine now by funding it with Russian frozen assets and cutting off Russia’s energy income and diverting that income to the West, strengthens America, prevents U.S. troops from entering war zones, safeguards our borders, and saves ​U.S. taxpayers and other countries trillions of dollars in the future.

For over 30 years, Ukraine has been a vital ally of the United States. From Iraq to Afghanistan and beyond, they have fought alongside American forces in every major conflict since 1991. Ukraine’s dedication to freedom, sovereignty, and partnership has been demonstrated repeatedly on the battlefield and a model for us to follow. Russia, on the other hand, has taken a very different route. The facts are that Putin’s Russia has been relentlessly trying to weaken the United States. Russia has attempted to interfere in our elections, launched cyberattacks on our energy infrastructure, and supplied arms and funded hostile regimes from Iran to North Korea. These are not the actions of a rival — they are the actions of an enemy.

Meanwhile, for a small part of America’s defence budget, Ukraine has significantly weakened Russia’s military forces. Over 1 million Russian soldiers have been either killed or wounded. The once-powerful Black Sea Fleet has been decimated. Russian oil, gas, and weapons facilities are under relentless attack. Russia has become so desperate that it has sent prisoners and North Korean soldiers to reinforce its front lines. All of this is happening because of Ukraine, and without a single American soldier on the ground.

Supporting Ukraine isn’t about charity. Let’s not forget the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, when Ukraine relinquished the world’s third-largest nuclear arsenal in exchange for security guarantees from the U.S., U.K., and Russia. Turning our backs now sends a dangerous message: America’s word means nothing. Instead, we must be clear that while it’s about defending Ukraine, it is also about safeguarding our security, promoting global stability, and strongly supporting those who share our values.

The only way to safeguard Americans, their jobs, security, and wallets is evident: