OPINION: The First Domino Has Fallen. Now Congress Must Finish the Job

Peace through strength must never become a mere slogan. Recent actions by the Trump administration show what is necessary to allow Ukraine – and the US – to win.

Originally published at Kyiv Post on May 18, 2025

Bill Cole · Kyiv Post

Last week, the United States and Ukraine entered a new era of cooperation. With the announcement of a long-term economic partnership between the two nations, led by Presidents Trump and Zelensky, the first pillar of the Three Pillar Peace Through Strength Victory Plan, authored by Senator Lindsey Graham, Pastor Mark Burns, and the Peace Through Strength Institute, is no longer theoretical. It is operational.

The historic face-to-face meeting between President Trump and President Zelensky got the ball rolling. That direct conversation changed the trajectory of the war. Not by offering more aid, but by forging a strategic alliance rooted in long-term mutual interests. It sent a message to both Kyiv and the Kremlin. The free world has a plan, and America is leading it.

A focus on making victory in Ukraine this administration’s top foreign policy priority, paired with fast execution, is exactly what this moment demands. From the signing of the economic agreement to the rapid shipment of $310 million in F-16 sustainment and pilot training packages, this White House is not signaling. It is acting.

This agreement did not happen by accident. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent worked hand in hand with Ukrainian leadership to hammer out the framework. On April 30, 2025, Bessent and Ukrainian First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko signed the agreement in Washington, marking the formal launch of Pillar One.

A victorious Ukraine could emerge as the next Germany or Japan – rebuilt with American partnership and aligned with American values.

Pillar One: economic partnership

This is not about one-off aid or short-term recovery. Pillar One is a blueprint for long-term economic integration across four strategic domains.

• Energy and critical minerals

Ukraine holds vast reserves of lithium, titanium, and rare earths. This domain reduces US dependency on China and Russia while building clean-energy supply chains with democratic allies. It is a generational investment in industrial sovereignty.

• Defense and technology

From battlefield-tested drones to battlefield AI, US and Ukrainian companies are beginning to co-develop the tools of modern warfare. These technologies will shape NATO standards for years to come. Recent steps include discussions around Ukraine acquiring US-made Bradley-based Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicles (AMPVs) as Pentagon production scales down. This reflects deepening military-industrial cooperation.

• Infrastructure and reconstruction

This includes rebuilding Ukraine’s power grid, logistics corridors, and transportation hubs. US engineering firms and investors are well positioned to lead this effort. Not just to repair what Russia destroyed, but to help Ukraine leap forward as a resilient, modern economy. A victorious Ukraine could emerge as the next Germany or Japan – rebuilt with American partnership and aligned with American values. From advanced manufacturing to clean energy, the opportunity is immense. This is not just about reconstruction. It is about building the economic engine of a new Europe.

• Health, education, and culture

The long tail of war is trauma, and the answer is human capital. This domain addresses post-war recovery through virtual therapy, trauma care, education partnerships, and civic renewal. This week, Rabbi Moshe Azman, the Chief Rabbi of Ukraine, is in Washington to thank the American people for their growing partnership. His presence reminds us that this alliance is not only military. It is moral.

But one pillar is not enough. For Ukraine to win, and for peace to last, we must now execute Pillars Two and Three with clarity and speed.

Pillar Two: military aid that wins wars

Russia is not slowing down. Each night, missiles and drones terrorize civilians in Kharkiv, Dnipro, Odesa and Kyiv. These are not military operations. They are war crimes. Yet much of what Ukraine needs to defend itself sits idle.

There are $5.8 billion in unallocated Presidential Drawdown Authority and another $10 to $11 billion in Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative funding. These resources are already authorized. Congress does not need to act. The administration does.

These funds can deliver layered air defense, drones, training, and logistics support now. Not after more apartment blocks are leveled. Not after another child dies in her sleep. Now.

Ukraine is proving its battlefield efficiency. Just days ago, a Magura V7 naval drone, equipped with US-supplied AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, shot down a $50 million Russian Su-30 fighter jet. This was the first time in history a surface drone destroyed a combat aircraft. Ukraine can do more with less. What it needs is volume.

Pillar Three: sanctions that bite

Two bipartisan bills, H.R. 2548 and S.1241, are ready to strike at the heart of Putin’s war machine. They target Russian banks, technology loopholes, and oligarch assets, but they go even further.

The legislation includes a 500 percent tariff on imports from countries that continue to purchase Russian oil, natural gas, petroleum products, or uranium. This sends a message to nations like China, India, and Iran. If you bankroll Putin’s war through energy trade, there will be consequences. These tariffs create global pressure points designed to shrink the Kremlin’s war chest and isolate its economy.

Multiple Senate leaders have confirmed there is enough bipartisan support for passage. What is missing is a floor vote in the House.

This is a defining moment. The world is watching. And Speaker Mike Johnson’s leadership is essential. This is not about partisanship. It is about moral clarity. The votes are there. Now it is time to bring it home.

Putin is losing and he knows it

Cornered and outmatched, Putin has returned to his oldest bluff: nuclear threats. In a recent state media broadcast, he said, “There has been no need to use those [nuclear] weapons… and I hope they will not be required.”

This is not a strategy. It is desperation. The same pattern plays out every time Putin begins to lose leverage. But the world is not buying it anymore. Not after Bucha. Not after Mariupol. Not after Bakhmut.

Meanwhile, Zelensky is holding cards. For the first time, Ukraine has leverage at the table. Ahead of Russia’s May 9 Victory Day parade, Zelensky has publicly stated that Ukraine cannot guarantee the safety of foreign leaders in Moscow. The message is unmistakable. The illusion of control inside Russia is cracking.

The winner will be the side that acts faster, scales smarter, and adapts with resolve.

This is an arms race. Time is not neutral.

This is not just a humanitarian crisis or a geopolitical challenge. This is an arms race and a war of attrition. The winner is not predetermined. It will be the side that acts faster, scales smarter, and adapts with resolve. Ukraine is holding the line, but time is not neutral. Every day of delay is a day Russia uses to reload, rearm, and regroup. If we want Ukraine to win, we must move like it.

Conclusion: finish the job

The first domino has fallen. The Trump-Zelensky alliance has been forged. The jets are being maintained. The pilots are being trained. The minerals are being secured. The people are being healed.

Now it is time to finish what we started.

Deliver the weapons.

Enact the sanctions.

Lead with strength and bring peace with justice.

The Three Pillar Victory Plan is working. The next two pillars are ready to fall if we choose to act.