photo: wikipedia
Politicians in the West are preparing to a possible offensive by the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) in the spring or summer of 2024 and are discussing how to prepare for a protracted conflict, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reports. They express dissatisfaction with the fact that Kiev did not use all ready troops and the Ukrainian armed forces failed to quickly close the land corridor held by Russia along the Sea of Azov, nor to isolate Crimea. and the US representative to NATO, Ivo Daalder, who believes that Washington does not expect Kiev to return “its territory” quickly. At the same time, former Deputy Assistant Secretary General of NATO, retired US Army Major General Gordon Davis believes that the Ukrainian military is adapting to the situation faster than the Russian one.
A Russian expert from the Pentagon-affiliated Center for Naval Analysis said that “this war could look like the Korean War, with rapid advance on the front in the first months and relative stagnation thereafter”. He also noted that “it will take years for both sides to realize this.”
US President Joe Biden assured the NATO summit in Vilnius of support for Ukraine and a commitment to develop long-term plans for its security. The United States and its NATO allies also continue to supply Ukraine with weapons. It is possible that the United States will send ATACMS long-range surface-to-air missiles to Kiev, and Germany will send Taurus cruise missiles.
However, it is worth noting that former US President Donald Trump announced a possible reduction in support for Ukraine if he is elected to next presidential campaign.
According to analysts, such discussions and concerns about future developments increase the pressure on Ukraine, which should succeed, if not this year, then next.