For over a year and a half, Russia has been at war with Ukraine. More than $113 billion in relief has been authorized by Congress and President Joe Biden. According to recent reports, the Ukrainian military spends more in a single day than has been donated for relief efforts in Maui, Hawaii.
Oleksii Reznikov, Ukraine’s former defense minister, recently informed reporters that his country spends $100 million each day on the war. Since Russia attacked the United States in February 2022, the United States has spent the equivalent of $223 million every day. As residents in Hawaii continue to struggle, many in the United States are wondering why the federal government is allocating so many resources to a conflict in another country.
Maui was hit by devastating wildfires at the beginning of August. The Lahaina Fire claimed the lives of at least 115 people. It was the deadliest wildfire in recorded history. Damage to the island might cost as much as $6 billion, according to Democratic Governor Josh Green.
After the fires, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) stated that President Biden would be sending $3.8 million in aid to the island to help with things like rent, food, water, and other necessities. Also, $95 million from the bipartisan infrastructure plan has been approved by the US Department of Energy to pay for electric grid improvements and maintenance. Initial reports suggested that faulty electrical wiring was to blame for the Maui fires.
The government has also requested $16 billion in financing for FEMA from Congress. Reports indicate that $12 billion was asked prior to the White House’s request for an extra $4 billion to aid in fire and Idalia recovery efforts.
Although the sum the president has pledged to Maui is smaller than what Reznikov claims Ukraine consumes in a day, it is still a sizeable sum. I don’t understand why our government would rather invest in other countries than in our own.
