Conservative opponents of U.S. support for Ukraine often return to a single claim: The Eastern European country is too corrupt. It’s true that Ukraine is plagued by corruption, cronyism, and oligarchy, much of it imported from Russia, but it’s false to say the country is a lost cause. The war will likely spark reform, much as previous crises prompted successful anti-corruption efforts.
Rather than abandon Ukraine, the U.S. and Europe should tie further support to additional anti-corruption progress, helping Ukraine emerge a stronger, more honest, open, and Western country.
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