Ukraine is not a charity case — it is a strategic opportunity

With most attention in Washington focused on the Middle East, Ukraine’s defense private sector has recently been on a tour across the U.S., trying to catch the attention of lawmakers and investors to showcase their impressive cutting-edge and affordable mass-production capabilities. And despite the occasional Ukraine political whirlwind in D.C., the majority of Americans and Congress support Ukraine on a bipartisan level. 

Yet one of the persistent problems among Ukraine’s partners is that many still view Ukraine as a problem to be solved rather than an opportunity to be seized. That perception may be the single greatest challenge Ukraine faces in the eyes of leaders across the democratic world.

The Kremlin understands this dynamic well, which is why it heavily invests in propaganda worldwide. Propaganda is relatively cheap — but its influence on perception can be enormous. Moscow has worked to reinforce a narrative that Ukraine is inherently corrupt and incapable of being a successful democracy. Ukraine has been countering the Kremlin’s efforts, but the sheer scale of its propaganda operations poses a challenge.

This can be witnessed in a familiar conversational pattern about Ukraine’s economy. For decades, Western decision-makers have delivered the same message: Ukraine has “great potential.” But the conversation rarely moves beyond the predictable caveats — there is corruption and red tape, and perhaps it is better to wait. This hesitancy is reflected in Ukraine’s historically low foreign direct investment.

The same dynamic appears in Western discussions about aid conditionality. Ukraine is told that if it implements reforms, it will receive greater financial support. In principle, this approach makes sense. In practice, it often turns into inaction. 

Conditionality is necessary. But instead of vacillation, Ukraine’s partners should be tripling down on support for reforms. That includes expanding resources for anti-corruption watchdogs and strengthening institutions that ensure transparency, accountability and structure. 

At the same time, Ukraine itself must radically transform how the world sees its government. The most effective way is implementing sweeping bold reforms — particularly in its judicial institutions. Ukraine must spotlight those efforts and demonstrate, beyond doubt, that it has permanently disposed of its Soviet-inherited residue of corruption. Importantly, a trustworthy court system reduces risk for investors and businesses.

Ukraine’s long-term economic success will depend on competition and entrepreneurship across its regions and cities. As such, Ukraine and its partners must create an environment that both encourages innovation and protects it, meaning reliable access to capital and strong intellectual property rights. 

A change in perception also requires a change in the narrative about what Ukraine actually is. Too often, Western policymakers view Ukraine primarily as a geopolitical hedge, a buffer zone — a label Ukrainians strongly dislike — between Russia and Europe. A far more accurate description is that Ukraine can become an exporter of stability, security and resilience.

For example, Ukraine covers roughly 233,000 square miles, making it the largest country in Europe by landmass, roughly the size of Texas. It is larger than France, Spain or Sweden, but its population is less than half of Germany’s and roughly half that of France and the United Kingdom.

Ukraine can become a leading economic giant in Europe. Ukrainians are innovative, and the country has already demonstrated remarkable technological capacity. In just four years, despite a full-scale war, Ukraine has rapidly developed a massive ecosystem of hundreds of drone manufacturers and defense startups.  

If the U.S. commits to a Ukrainian victory, Ukraine will become a success story of democratic resilience that has fully switched from a war-torn country to a hub of security and stability. Ukraine’s story is truly unique for 21st-century Europe — no other country has a battlefield-tested economy on such a scale. Ukraine’s iterative progress amid constant shocks is remarkable, offering nearly every sector an opportunity to strengthen resilience. 

Although Russia terrorizes the country daily, Ukraine’s GDP grew in 2024 by approximately 2.9 percent, delivering an estimated $190.7 billion in output. Ukraine also remains the leading sunflower oil supplier to the European Union and consistently leads as a top global sunflower oil exporter.  

This Ukraine perception shift has clear implications for U.S. policy. If the U.S. does not take advantage of what Ukraine’s innovative economy has to offer, other countries will, including China.

A victorious Ukraine would send a powerful signal to other post-Soviet countries that they can finally leave Russia’s orbit and become growing democracies. This would also create new opportunities for the U.S. abroad. 

Russia has traditionally viewed the U.S. as a strategic adversary, seeking its downfall, and has never fully accepted its defeat in the Cold War. But Russia is also at its weakest point since the full-scale invasion began. Ukraine is primed to deliver the U.S. a lasting Kremlin defeat like never before, and at no human cost to U.S. soldiers. 

Ukraine is a gold mine for democracy, being handed to the U.S. on a platter. It would be naive and short-sighted for us to ignore it.

Ilya Timtchenko is a nonresident fellow with the Transatlantic Defense and Security Program at the Center for European Policy Analysis. He is the founder and CEO of HawkNation LLC and a board member at First Aid of the Soul, a nonprofit providing trauma-informed mental health support to Ukrainians affected by the war.