[ad_1]
As the debate over providing new military aid to Ukraine continues to unfold in Washington, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is seeking to begin diplomatic outreach to Europe, hoping to begin filling the void left by months of U.S. indecision. It’s doubling.
Ukraine’s leader was quick to praise a bipartisan group of U.S. senators for approving $60 billion in aid to his country, saying “U.S. “The assistance will help save lives from Russia.” terrorism. “
The reaction across Ukraine’s political circles was similar, seeking to express gratitude to those supporting the government in Kiev but careful not to say anything that would jeopardize future discussions in any way. The aid package would have to pass the Republican-led House, which Speaker Mike Johnson said he would ignore.
“We hope that, after constructive discussions and dialogue, this bill will be adopted by the US House of Representatives with bipartisan support,” said Olena Kondratyuk, deputy speaker of Ukraine’s parliament. “We need this support as we continue to fight for freedom and independence. We also want to make clear to aggressor Russia about the unity of the democratic world and the continued leadership of the United States in comprehensive support for Ukraine.” I need to send a message.”
However, Ukrainians are acutely aware that the bill will face fierce resistance from powerful factions of the Republican Party who were encouraged to kill it by former President Donald J. Trump. As a result, Zelenskiy’s government is also turning its attention to his closer friends.
A senior Ukrainian official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss domestic diplomatic talks, said a victory for Russian President Vladimir V. Putin in Ukraine “would be disastrous for Europe.”
“This could lead to him expanding his acts of aggression to other countries in the region,” the official said of Putin. “Europeans understand this and it motivates them to act despite the turmoil in the Atlantic.”
Zelenskiy will visit Berlin, Paris and possibly London as part of a whirlwind tour this week scheduled to coincide with the Munich Security Conference, an annual summit focused on international security, to seek further military assistance. Ukrainian officials have revealed that they are most likely to ask for He said. Although the presidential palace has not commented on his travel plans for security reasons and warned that nothing has been finalized, Zelenskiy referred to diplomatic outreach in a recent speech and announced plans for his team to travel to Munich. He said he was preparing for a meeting.
“Ukraine will present its vision for this year,” Zelenskiy said. “It was a decisive year in many ways.”
Russia has taken the initiative across the front, using its growing superiority in artillery and air power to shore up waves of soldiers.
So far, Russian forces have not been able to make any significant breakthroughs on the Ukrainian front, but Western officials say that without U.S. aid it will be impossible for Kiev to withstand the onslaught and Ukraine will gradually begin to lose the war. I warned you that this is a possibility.
Russia’s losses continue to mount – at least 8,800 armored fighting vehicles have been destroyed since the Kremlin launched a full-scale invasion two years ago – but Moscow has said it has “kept its active stock to a stable level”. “We have been able to maintain this,” the International Institute for Strategic Studies said. A British research group studying military stockpiles around the world said in a new report.
“Therefore, our assessment is that Russia, at its current rate of attrition, will be able to continue attacking Ukraine for another two to three years, and perhaps even longer,” the group estimates.
The resilience of Russia’s military-industrial complex in the face of wide-ranging Western sanctions has surprised some analysts and raised concerns among NATO Eastern bloc nations, who, given the situation, are urgently looking to ramp up their own weapons production. A growing number of Western officials are warning of the need to step up. The threat Putin poses beyond Ukraine.
Estonian intelligence chief Kaupo Rosin said on Tuesday, ahead of the publication of the agency’s annual security assessment, that it was highly unlikely that Russia would take military action while mired in a quagmire against NATO members. Ta. In Ukraine. But he warned: “We can see that the Russians are calculating in their own way that a military conflict with NATO could occur within the next 10 years.”
“Russia is planning to build up its military capabilities not only along the Baltic borders, but also along the Finnish border,” Rosin said. “It is very likely that the number of personnel will increase, perhaps even double. We will see an increase in armed personnel carriers, tanks and artillery systems in the coming years.”
Supporters of Ukraine argue that investing in the fight against Russia in Ukraine will save lives in the future, a claim Zelenskiy himself made two years ago in Munich on the eve of the Russian invasion. went.
In a speech on February 19, 2022, he recalled that at the outbreak of World War II, when Germany invaded Poland, many people asked, “Why die for Danzig?”
That day he said: “That question turned into the need to die for Dunkirk and dozens of other cities in Europe and the world. At the cost of tens of millions of lives.”
“We appreciate any assistance, but everyone needs to understand that these are not charitable donations,” he said at the time. “These are not noble deeds to which Ukraine should bow. This is your contribution to the security of Europe and the world.”
When he gave that speech, war was not a certainty. Mr. Putin insisted he had no plans to invade Ukraine, and even Mr. Zelensky was unsure whether to believe the dire warnings of Western allies.
Two years later, dozens of Ukrainian towns and cities were in ruins. Tens of thousands of civilians were killed or injured. Both sides continue to fight despite suffering hundreds of thousands of casualties.
Ukraine’s message to its European allies this week is likely to be much the same as it was just before the war. But Kiev now hopes that many of its illusions about Russia’s intentions have been shattered, and that the carnage it has caused in Ukraine has made clear the danger Russia poses to the continent.
Zelenskiy also expressed hope Tuesday after the Senate vote that the United States will continue to play an important role as an weapon of democracy.
“The world is waiting for American leaders to stand firm and help save lives and defend freedom.”
Maria Varennikova I contributed a report from Kiev.
[ad_2]
Source link
