Ukraine President Zelensky Reacts to War in Middle East overshadowing Ukraine Crisis

For 20 months, the war in Ukraine was in focus. But after the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, the war in Gaza has taken over much of the attention. Now Ukraine’s president, Voldomyr Zelensky, reacts to the development.

In a statement, the president says that the war in the Middle East steals focus from the situation in Ukraine. Zelensky held his briefing in Kyiv on Saturday.

– It is clear that the war in the Middle East is taking attention away from Ukraine. This is also a wish from the Russian side, said the president, who held his brief together with the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.

Putin softens

– Nobody puts pressure

At the same time, Zelensky denied that he was under any kind of pressure from the countries that are Ukraine’s backers to consider making concessions to Russia to end the war. He expressed irritation at news reports of pressure on Ukraine to negotiate, saying he did not know where those claims came from.

The Ukrainian president admitted that such pressure previously existed, but this must have been before Russia’s invasion in February 2022 and at the start of the fighting.

– None of the EU leaders or the US put any pressure on me to sit down with the Russians, negotiate and give Russia something. That will not happen, Zelenskyy said.

Retired lieutenant general Arne Bård Dalhaug about the situation at the front in Ukraine. view more

Enormous tap

While the claims of pressure were dismissed, British intelligence issued its final report on the war. It states that President Vladimir Putin and Russia have probably lost around 200 military vehicles during their latest attack on Donbas.

– Russia may also have lost several thousand soldiers in the same area since the beginning of October, informs the intelligence.

They further write in their report that Russia is apparently still willing to accept large losses of personnel in order to secure marginal land areas.

In recent weeks, eastern and north-eastern parts of Ukraine have been exposed to several advances from the Russians. However, the Ukrainian defense states that all attempts have been repelled.

Possible horror alliance: – High stakes

– Putin not ready

NBC News however, also refers to two sources who say that Joe Biden’s government has no indication that Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to negotiate with Ukraine.

Western officials say Putin still believes he can win by waiting until Western support for Ukraine ends, or fighting on until popular support for Ukraine falters or the problems of getting enough weapons to Ukraine become too great.

In a video published by the Russian Defense Forces, they demonstrate a tactic for communicating at the front in Ukraine. Video: The Russian Armed Forces. Reporter: Marte Nyløkken Helseth / Dagbladet TV. view more

Both Ukraine and Russia are struggling to obtain enough military supplies. Russia has increased the production of artillery shells, and within a couple of years they may be able to produce two million a year, writes NBC News with reference to Western estimates.

However, it does not hold up much in Ukraine, where Russian forces fired an estimated ten million grenades last year, according to the same source. Russia is thus also dependent on foreign support.

The production of artillery shells and other military equipment is also growing strongly in Western countries, where the US alone expects a production of around 1.2 million in 2025, according to the Pentagon.

2023-11-04 22:29:40
#lost #thousand