The debate over Ukraine aid often frames the conflict as a choice between domestic American priorities and foreign assistance. But this framing fundamentally misunderstands what is at stake. Ukraine is a direct investment in American national security that could prevent U.S. troops from directly fighting Russian forces in the near future.

Recent statements from Moscow make this calculation clear. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov declared in June that the Ukraine war cannot end until NATO “pulls out” of the Baltic states. This demand represents a dramatic escalation from Russia’s previous position, which focused solely on Ukraine’s NATO aspirations. Now the Kremlin is demanding the abandonment of NATO allies who have been........

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