US and Europe subtly bolster Ukraine's peace negotiation power amid war with Russia
Officially, U.S. authorities assert that there has been no modification to the current policy, and the USA's objective remains to back Ukraine until a military victory over Russia is secured.
7:22 AM EST, December 28, 2023
Considering challenges with continuous funding for the Ukrainian army, the West is encouraging Kyiv to concentrate more on defensive operations while deemphasizing further offensive operations. These defensive initiatives, as outlined by Politico, would not only concern the situation in the eastern Donbas region but also involve reinforcing the Belarus border and investing more in air defense forces.
As per Politico, the shift towards defense "could provide Ukraine with the crucial time it needs to maneuver Putin into a palatable compromise finally".
- The shift towards defense could potentially enable Ukraine to conserve its resources, thereby discouraging any future Russian advancements - observed American military expert Anthony Pfaff in an interview with Politico.
One White House official, who wished to remain anonymous, emphasized that "the only feasible way to end this war conclusively is through negotiations."
- It is precisely for this reason that we are stressing efforts to expedite Ukraine's NATO membership. This would bolster Kyiv's position in talks with Moscow - added a European diplomat based in Washington, representing an EU country.
US election prospects do not favor Ukraine. The war is a setback for Biden
USA President Joe Biden, likely to run in the 2024 presidential elections this fall but not the favorite against Donald Trump, is striving to dodge negative media coverage associated with potential foreign policy failures by his administration.
As Politico writes, "The USA is eager to distance itself from difficult situations like Russia's war against Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas conflict, desiring a swift resolution to both."
The Biden administration is laboring to secure congressional approval for a package exceeding 61 billion dollars, earmarked for expenditures associated with aid for Ukraine. However, this proposition faces opposition mainly from Republicans, who are conditioning their support for Kyiv on radically reshaping the country's immigration policy.
On Wednesday, Washington declared this year's final military aid package for Ukraine, estimated at 250 million dollars, including ammunition and air defense system components. According to the White House announcement, this will be the last batch of weapons the United States will provide without new directives being ratified by Congress.
