In the Thick of It
A blog on the U.S.-Russia relationship
Support for Ukraine: Whatever It Takes, as Long as It Takes ... to Do What?
Of expressions used to signal the West’s resolve to help Ukraine in its war effort, two seem to have become particularly popular. Not a fortnight seems to go by without a Western official publicly promising that they and their colleagues will do “whatever it takes” and for “as long as it takes” in their continued support for embattled Ukraine. But what condition (or conditions) need to arise for these officials to declare that their vows have been fulfilled? To try to answer this question, we have searched news aggregators and other resources to see if any of these officials specify the goals they are seeking to accomplish by doing “whatever it takes” for “as long as it takes.” Of the 27 instances of these expressions that we caught in our linguistic dragnet, only a few were accompanied by specifics. One was by then-Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, who vowed the following less than 24 hours before Russian President Vladimir Putin formally announced Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022: “We have our allies at our side ... together we will do whatever it takes to preserve Ukraine's sovereignty, Europe's security and the integrity of the international order based on the rules and values we all share.”
Importantly, U.S. President Joe Biden was also among the few to define the goal behind the vague phrasing. When asked by a reporter to clarify what G-7 leaders meant when they vowed on June 27, 2022, to provide support for Ukraine for “as long as it takes,” Biden said: “We are going to stick with Ukraine and all of the Alliance is going to stick with Ukraine as long as it takes to, in fact, make sure that they are not defeated ... by Russia. And so, I don’t know what—how it’s going to end, but it will not end with a Russian defeat of Ukraine in Ukraine.”
In contrast to Draghi and Biden, however, the majority of those promising “whatever it takes” and “as long as it takes” failed to clarify what exactly their perseverance is intended to accomplish. That vagueness could arguably make their resolve look less convincing in the eyes of not only the warring parties, but also their allies. After all, a pledge to exert maximum effort vis-a-vis someone doesn’t sound particularly convincing unless one specifies what exactly one is trying to achieve.
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Who/When |
Quote |
Specified a goal beyond general commitments to aid Ukraine? |
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We have our allies at our side ... together we will do whatever it takes to preserve Ukraine's sovereignty, Europe's security, and the integrity of the international order based on the rules and values we all share. |
Yes. |
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The support for Ukraine will continue as long as it takes. |
No.1 |
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“We have a political and a moral obligation to provide substantial support for as long as it takes,” he pointed out, explaining that NATO has taken “some kind of responsibility” when it started to help Ukraine. “You cannot stop in the middle of that effort because they are in a middle of a war,” he asserted. |
Unclear, may be interpreted as not allowing “Putin to … see that he is rewarded for his brutal use of force” as the goal.
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We will continue to provide financial, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support and stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes. |
No.
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We are going to stick with Ukraine and all of the Alliance is going to stick with Ukraine as long as it takes to, in fact, make sure that they are not defeated ... by Russia. … And so, I don’t know what — how it’s going to end, but it will not end with a Russian defeat of Ukraine in Ukraine. |
Yes, “as long as it takes” to prevent Ukraine’s defeat. |
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It’s been our privilege to help. You have a remarkable president, Mr. Zelensky, who’s done an outstanding job and we simply wish to keep supporting the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes. |
No.
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Ukraine’s extraordinary front-line defenders continue to courageously fight for their country’s freedom, and President Biden has been clear we will support the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes. I reiterated this message to President Zelenskyy and his team today in Kyiv, which remains ̶ and will remain ̶ the capital of a sovereign, independent Ukraine. |
No. |
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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on 09.15.22 |
We will never be able to match the sacrifice that the Ukrainians are making... but what we can tell you is that you'll have your European friends by your side as long as it takes. |
No. |
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I urge all members of the international community to reject Russia’s illegal attempts at annexation and to stand with the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes. |
No. |
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"We will continue to provide financial, humanitarian, military, diplomatic and legal support and will stand firmly with Ukraine for as long as it takes," the G-7 leaders said in a joint statement. |
No.
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We must do whatever it takes so that Russia loses this war, there shouldn’t be a way of going around this concept and saying that we should do something in between. |
Yes, “whatever it takes” to ensure Russia’s defeat. |
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We support Ukraine fully in this moment, and we have — we have since the start of this conflict. And we’re going to continue to do whatever it takes to give them the capacity to defend themselves. |
Yes, give Ukraine “capacity to defend” itself. |
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Together we seek a world where disputes are resolved peacefully, where sovereignty is respected, where borders are honored and where civilians are protected. Those are the values of this contact group. We stand united in our support for Ukraine's fight for freedom. And we will stand together, united and resolute, for as long as it takes. |
No.
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Most wars end with negotiations. But what happens at the negotiating table depends on what happens on the battlefield. Therefore, the best way to increase the chances for a peaceful solution is to support Ukraine. So, NATO will continue to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes. We will not back down. Allies are providing unprecedented military support, and I expect foreign ministers will also agree to step up non-lethal support. |
Unclear, may be interpreted as increasing “the chances for a peaceful solution” is the goal.
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Norah O'Donnell: The American people have committed $38 billion to military aid to Ukraine An additional $13 billion in direct aid to prop up the Ukrainian economy How long can that support in billions of dollars continue for Ukraine? Janet Yellen: For as long as it takes. |
No.
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We reaffirm our unwavering support for and solidarity with Ukraine in the face of ongoing Russian war of aggression for as long as it takes. |
No. |
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Biden during press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky 12.21.22 |
And the United States is committed to ensuring that the brave Ukrainian people can continue—continue to defend their country against Russian aggression as long as it takes. … The American people have been with you every step of the way, and we will stay with you. We will stay with you for as long as it takes. |
Yes. |
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Patrick Turner, Assistant Secretary General at NATO from 2015-July 2022, on 01.12.23 |
With tens of thousands of Ukrainians dying to defend their country, we must do whatever it takes to defend Ukraine, and ourselves. |
No.
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We announced yesterday that the Commission is delivering EUR 3 billion of financial support. This is the first tranche of our EUR 18 billion support package for 2023. This will bolster Ukraine's financial stability, help to pay wages and pensions, and ensure the running of hospitals, schools, and housing services. We are in it—for as long as it takes. |
No.
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“We have no indication that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s goals have changed,” said Geoana, noting that Russia has mobilized more than 200,000 additional troops. “So, we must be prepared for the long haul. 2023 will be a difficult year and we need to support Ukraine for as long as it takes.” |
No.
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These tanks are further evidence of our enduring and unflagging commitment to Ukraine and our confidence in the skill of the Ukrainian forces. As I told President Zelensky when he was here … in December: We’re with you for as long as it takes, Mr. President. |
No.
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David McAllister, chair of the European Parliament’s foreign affairs committee, on 01.30.23 |
We will support Ukraine for as long as it takes. And in the end, war will come to an end. For a war to come to an end, ceasefire negotiations are the first step. The Russian Federation is talking about the necessity of peace and ceasefire and on then sending more and more troops to the frontline. They are shelling Ukrainian cities. They are attacking civilian infrastructure. I fully understand that the Ukrainian leadership does not trust the Russian leadership. That’s why we will continue to support Ukraine in their defense against this barbaric war of aggression by the Russian Federation. And when the conditions are there, then a ceasefire can happen, and then this might lead to peace. I pray that there will be peace, but it has to be a peace that is not a Russian dictated peace. |
Unclear, may be interpreted that a ceasefire is the goal. |
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Tonight, we’re once again joined by Ukrainians’ Ambassador to the United States. … Will you stand so we can all take a look at you? Thank you. Because we’re going to stand with you as long as it takes. |
No.
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As we approach the first anniversary of Russia’s brutal and immoral invasion, the European Union will show that it stands resolutely with the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes. Ireland and the EU will provide Ukraine with the humanitarian, military, and financial aid it needs until Russia has been repelled, and we want to see its application for EU membership progress as quickly as possible |
Yes, “until Russia has been repelled.” |
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U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget A. Brink (quoting Biden) on 02.10.23 |
Ukraine still standing strong despite more strikes on critical infrastructure. Light will always prevail over darkness, and as @POTUS said to the American people on Tuesday, “America is united in our support for your country. We will stand with you as long as it takes.” |
No.
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“We will continue to try to impress upon them that we can’t do anything and everything forever,” said one senior administration official, referring to Ukraine’s leaders. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomatic matters, added that it was the administration’s “very strong view” that it will be hard to keep getting the same level of security and economic assistance from Congress. “'As long as it takes’ pertains to the amount of conflict,” the official added. “It doesn’t pertain to the amount of assistance.” |
Unclear.
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We are determined to stand with Ukraine's brave defenders for as long as it takes. |
No.
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Footnotes:
- Here and elsewhere a “No” means that the person or group who stated either “as long as it takes” or “whatever it takes” did not state, in our view, what specific goal they were trying to attain.
The opinions expressed herein are solely those of the individuals or groups quoted. Official White House photo by Adam Schultz shared in the public domain.