Pro-Ukraine demonstrators outside the US Capitol as President of Ukraine Volodomyr Zelenskyy addresses a joint meeting of Congress on December 21, 2022, in Washington, DC. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 fundamentally altered the geopolitical and security environment in the transatlantic region in a way not seen since World War II. The invasion also served as a reminder of why Europe is important to America’s national interests. 

In a recent Hudson policy brief, Senior Fellows Luke Coffey and Peter Rough listed the top five issues in Europe that the 118th Congress needs to know. Below are some highlights.

Key Insights

1. Ukraine’s Victory Is the Top Priority

The economic and military assistance for Ukraine that the US Congress has authorized since February 2022 has been the deciding factor in Ukraine’s national defense. Considering the blow Ukraine has delivered to Russia’s conventional military, America’s second-largest adversary, this assistance has been a good value for the American taxpayer. Ukrainians are not asking for, nor do they want, US troops to help them fight Russia. All they ask for is the equipment, weapons, munitions, and financial resources required to give them a fighting chance. It is in America’s interest that Ukraine wins the war, and that Russia is decisively defeated. The US Congress should continue to approve economic and military aid to assist Ukraine’s national defense.

2. NATO Summit in Lithuania

This summit will come at a crucial time for the transatlantic alliance. It will be NATO’s first summit since the alliance published its Strategic Concept last year and the second summit since Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine. Hopefully, it will also be an enlargement summit with Sweden and Finland officially joining NATO. The summit should prioritize continuing support for Ukraine, maintaining the alliance’s defensive posture in eastern Europe, and ensuring that members increase defense spending in line with pledges made in 2022. The US Congress should help lay the groundwork now for a productive and successful summit later this year.

3. Three Seas Initiative (3SI) Summit in Romania

Poland launched the Three Seas Initiative in 2016 to facilitate the development of energy and infrastructure ties among 12 nations in eastern, central, and southern Europe. The initiative aims to strengthen trade, infrastructure, energy, and political cooperation among countries bordering the Adriatic, Baltic, and Black Seas. As a vestige of the Cold War, most infrastructure in the region runs east to west, stymying greater regional interconnectedness. Developing north-south interconnections and pipelines would spur economic growth, prosperity, and security. Not only can the 3SI improve Europe’s long-term energy security, but the initiative can also play a role in Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction by better connecting it to the rest of Europe. A more integrated eastern and southern European economy holds better prospects for US exporters and investors.

Quotes may be edited for clarity and length. 

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