The Urgency of Sustaining Western Support for Ukraine

The current taxpayer-funded model for supporting Ukraine is vulnerable to populist backlash, risking damage to liberal market democracy. Instead, the West should consider making Putin pay by using the $400 billion of Russian assets frozen or immobilized in Western countries. Weak arguments against using these assets include the risk to sovereign immunity, tit-for-tat appropriation of Western assets in Russia, and the dollar's position as a reserve currency. By seizing Russian assets for use in Ukraine, the West can both support Ukraine's fight for freedom and send a message to authoritarian regimes. Failure to adequately finance Ukraine risks its defeat and a political backlash in Western countries.