EDITORIAL: Putin's pals paint fake funding picture

Vladimir Putin thought steamrolling Ukraine would be easy.

The Russian leader, murderer and global terrorist didn’t count on a couple of things, though. One was Ukraine’s resolve. The other was continuing Ukrainian support from the U.S. and Europe. That support has been vital to Ukraine’s success — so much so that Putin is now saying that if the support crumbles, Ukraine won't last a week.

U.S. officials are alerting the public to their certainty that a broad new Putin campaign of propaganda and disinformation is headed our way. The objective: To weaken western support for Ukraine. Hamper the supply of munitions and humanitarian support, Putin knows, and Russia wins.

Putin’s approach is neither surprising nor disappointing. It is who he is. What’s disappointing is how many Americans either do not understand the urgency of keeping Putin in check or, far worse, admire his death-to-Democracy brand of governance.

As Americans try to get their House in order — the kind of turmoil that makes Putin reach happily for a chilled bottle of expensive champagne — continued financial support to Ukraine remains among our nation’s very highest priorities.

One of the already existing threats to the kind of accurate information that’s necessary for good decision-making is the distortion of financial data. Flat-out bad information already is running its course. While it’s unlikely that accurate information will change the hearts and minds of Putin supporters, for everyone else, listen to Paul Krugman, winner of the 2008 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences.

Claims that continued funding for Ukraine threatens our Social Security and border security are false. Statements that Ukraine aid represents 40% of our nation’s gross domestic product — a number you may have heard from people who should know better — are ridiculously exaggerated.

According to Krugman’s research, the U.S. has spent $77 billion on Ukraine aid in the first 18 months of the war. In that time span, federal outlays are exceeding $9 trillion, so how does the $77 billion stack up?

• It’s less than 1% of federal spending.

• It’s less than 0.3% of GDP.

• The military portion of that $77 billion is less than 5% of our defense budget.

Nobody is suggesting that $77 billion is pocket change. Every investment must be scrutinized and tracked to ensure it’s being spent the way it was intended.

But every funding discussion should begin with accurate information and context, not the b.s. being disseminated by Putin and his American collaborators.