Tipsheet

Does This Move Push Us Closer to World War III?

We must deliver arms and ammunition to the Ukrainians. They've held out against all odds. Their capital of Kyiv has fought off multiple Russian attacks. Moscow thought it could pummel its way through. It thought wrong. Now, we have a Russian convoy that's 40 miles long, but it hasn't moved in days. Russian tanks are running out of gas. They're getting killed everywhere. And now, a Russian intelligence official says that their forces face disaster. 

Ukrainians want a no-fly zone, which is not going to happen. Yet, Secretary of State Antony Blinken did sign off on something that might make Russia more unpredictable in Ukraine. In no way is this a crossing of the Rubicon moment—some could argue that it is—but Russia isn't going to launch nukes over this move. It could make that moment more likely, however, as we've greenlit NATO countries sending fighter jets to Ukraine (via CBS News): 

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday that NATO members have the go-ahead to send fighter jets to Ukraine as the U.S. and allies continue their efforts to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia's invasion.

"That gets a green-light," Blinken said in an interview with "Face the Nation" when asked whether the Polish government, a member of NATO, could send fighter planes to Ukraine. "In fact, we're talking with our Polish friends right now about what we might be able to do to backfill their needs if in fact they choose to provide these fighter jets to the Ukrainians. What can we do? How can we help to make sure that they get something to backfill the planes that they are handing over to the Ukrainians?"

A White House spokesperson told CBS News the Biden administration is evaluating the capabilities it could provide to backfill jets to Poland if it decided to transfer planes to Ukraine but noted there are several questions that arise from a decision to do so, including how the jets could be transferred from Poland to Ukraine.

Russians being unable to clinch air superiority has been the saving grace here, but how much longer will that last? Ukraine needs arms and ammunition, especially javelins and the missiles they've been using to shoot down Russian aircraft from mobile units. Meanwhile, we're mulling cutting off Russian oil imports, which will drive gas prices through the roof. We're doing this while begging Iran and Venezuela to give us more oil. We have it here. We have those energy needs here if Biden didn't take a hatchet to oil and gas, but that's another issue.

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