On September 22, 2024, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and his administration  welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Pennsylvania during a visit to the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant (SCAAP) in Lackawanna County. 

At the visit, Zelensky spoke with workers at SCAAP and praise them for their efforts to prolong the US’s proxy war against Russia and Ukraine. Ever since Russia launched its military incursion into Ukraine on February 24, 2022 the US has effectively used Ukraine as a battering ram against Russia in an effort to degrade its military capacity. Basically, the US national security state is using Ukraine to fight Russia to the last Ukrainian.

Per Shapiro’s office, SCAAP manufactures 155-millimeter howitzer rounds, several of the most critical forms of military equipment for Ukraine’s defense against Russia.

“Pennsylvania is the birthplace of American freedom – and our Commonwealth proudly stands with the people of Ukraine as they fight for their freedom against naked aggression,” declared Shapiro. “I’m proud to welcome President Zelenskyy and his delegation to Scranton – to visit with the women and men who are fueling his country’s fight for freedom – and sign an agreement with Zaporizhzhia that will strengthen both states and foster collaboration for years to come. Pennsylvania looks forward to building a close relationship with Zaporizhzhia as we continue to stand on the side of freedom.”

On top of that, Shapiro signed an agreement with the Zaporizhzhia Regional State Military Administration, to strengthen ties between the two regions

As a result of the agreement, Pennsylvania will team up with economic leaders in the southeastern province of Ukraine to share best practices within several industries, which includes agriculture, energy, digital technologies, workforce development, and defense. 

The governor’s office also revealed that in September, over 150 soldiers from the Pennsylvania National Guard’s (PANG) 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team were sent to Germany to back the Joint Multinational Training Group – Ukraine. 

The national guard’s Task Force Independence is currently providing training services to Ukrainian forces to help them with combined arms and maneuver warfare.

The Democratic Party has a clear Ukraine obsession. There’s no pressing national interest at stake in this conflict. However, for Democrats and certain elements of the national security state, Russia is the devil incarnate. 

The whole game here is to use Ukrainians as cannon fodder against Russia in an effort to drag it into a military quagmire. However, this will likely prove to be futile because of how Russia enjoys escalatory dominance in the Ukrainian theater. The longer the US continues prosecuting this proxy war, the more likely that Ukraine will end up turning into a dysfunctional rump state after Russia decides to start annexing more parts of Eastern Ukraine. 

If we want peace in Ukraine, the US must stop sending military aid to Ukraine and have the two Slavic nations negotiate among themselve