The U.S. has given Ukraine more than $1.7 billion in aid. Is it enough?

WAMU 88.5 | By Paige Osburn

Published April 11, 2022 at 1:16 PM EDT

Ukrainian soldiers keep their position in a trench on the front line with Russian troops in Lugansk region.

Russian forces have shifted their focus to southern and eastern Ukraine after failing to take the country’s capital, Kyiv.

Over the weekend, two residential buildings and a school were targeted by Russian troops, according to Ukrainian officials. Meanwhile, the death toll from Friday’s missile strike on a train station has risen to 57.

Now, U.S. and Ukrainian military officials are preparing for a major Russian offensive in eastern Ukraine.

On Sunday, U.S. National Security AdvisorJake Sullivan told NBC’s “Meet the Press” that “our policy is unequivocal that [the U.S.] will do whatever we can to help Ukraine succeed […] which means that we need to keep giving them weapons so that they can make progress on the battlefield. And we need to keep giving them military support and strong economic sanctions to improve their position, their posture at the negotiating table.”

So far, the U.S. has sent Ukraine more than $1.7 billion in military assistance.But could we be doing more? As the war enters a new phase, what can — or should — the U.S. and NATO allies do to end it?