Original title: “Ukrainian Fatigue” spreads, peace is hard to find
Xinhua News Agency, Moscow/Kiev, November 9
Xinhua News Agency reporter Geng Pengyu Liu Kai Li Dongxu
John Kirby, strategic communications coordinator for the National Security Council of the White House, said on the 8th that after the Ukrainian crisis escalated, 96% of the various aid funds allocated by the United States for Ukraine have been used up.
The Biden administration previously applied to Congress for new aid funds to Ukraine, but failed to do so due to opposition from Republicans. The U.S. government agency responsible for overseeing humanitarian relief programs for Ukraine has reportedly warned members of Congress that Kyiv risks economic collapse if more funds are not sent to Ukraine. Recent polls show that fewer and fewer Americans support providing more aid to Ukraine.
Analysts believe that the current “war of attrition” and “tug-of-war” between Russia and Ukraine are still continuing. Reports on “Ukraine fatigue” in European and American media are increasing day by day, and Western public support for further aid to Ukraine has declined. Although the United States and the West are partially distracted by the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, they are still prepared to continue providing assistance to Ukraine. Under the current situation, both Russia and Ukraine want to continue to advance military operations, and peace negotiations are still elusive.
The situation on the battlefield is stalemate
The Ukrainian National News Agency reported on the 6th that Ukrainian President Zelensky submitted a draft law on extending the wartime state and general mobilization order to the Verkhovna Rada (parliament), recommending that it be extended for another 90 days from November 16, 2023.
The Russian Ministry of Defense recently reported that the Russian army repelled Ukrainian army attacks and launched multiple offensives in Kupyansk, Bonliman, Donetsk, Zaporozhye, Kherson and other directions. The Ukrainian Army General Staff recently released a battle report stating that it repelled the Russian army in Kupyansk, Bakhmut (known as Artemovsk in Russia), Avdeyevka, Marinka, and Zaporozhye. Dozens of attacks in other directions.
Recently, Russia and Ukraine are focusing on competing for Avdeyevka. The city is only 20 kilometers away from the Russian-controlled city of Donetsk. It is located on a traffic artery and has strategic significance for ensuring the security of the Ukrainian army’s defense line in the northern Donetsk region.
Ukrainian military analyst Alexei Gediman said that the Russian army is launching offensives from the north and south wings of Avdeyevka and is trying to form a closed loop to block the Ukrainian army’s retreat. At present, the Russian army has a 10 to 15 times strength advantage in this direction. If Russia continues to invest a large number of troops, the Ukrainian army will either need to invest more reserve forces to strengthen the defense line, or it will be forced to withdraw.
Russian military expert Boris Derelevsky believes that the Russian army has recently accelerated its advance in the direction of Avdeyevka and is making smooth progress. This important fortress that the Ukrainian army has operated for many years may change hands. He said that in order to defend Avdeyevka, Ukraine not only withdrew its offensive troops from the southern front, but also had to mobilize troops from the direction of Zaporozhye. If this place falls, it will be another major blow to the Ukrainian army after the fall of Artemovsk.
Analysts believe that since mid-August, the Ukrainian army’s counteroffensive in all directions has gradually stalled. The Russian army took advantage of the situation to launch an offensive, but neither side has made significant progress. The mainstream view in Russia is that Ukraine’s counteroffensive has failed and it will not have the strength and resources to organize a new counteroffensive in the future. Moreover, the United States is currently busy dealing with the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, so it will not be easy for Ukraine to continue to receive U.S. assistance. Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Zaluzhny said in an interview with the British “Economist” magazine earlier this month that the current war has entered a new stage characterized by stagnation and attrition.
Western people are falling into “fatigue”
At present, global attention to the Ukraine crisis has waned, and people in the United States and the West are also tired of the protracted Ukraine crisis.
Over the past few months, American public support for aid to Ukraine has continued to decline. A poll previously released by the Gallup Consulting Company showed that fewer and fewer Americans support providing more aid to Ukraine, with 41% of respondents believing that the United States has done “too much” in aiding Ukraine; Three months ago, this proportion was only 24%.
In an NBC program broadcast on the 5th, Zelensky denied that the war had reached a stalemate and called on the United States to provide more military equipment. According to reports, since the Ukraine crisis escalated in February last year, the United States has provided a total of US$75 billion in military, humanitarian and financial assistance to Ukraine. However, further aid plans to Ukraine have been strongly opposed by Republicans in Congress.
U.S. President Biden requested a total of US$106 billion in special appropriations from Congress on October 20, covering military aid to Ukraine and Israel. However, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives approved only US$14.3 billion in the special appropriation request last week. Aid Israel.
The dawn of peace is hard to find
NBC News recently reported, citing two unnamed officials, that the United States, European countries and the Ukrainian government are discussing the possibility of opening peace talks to end the Ukraine crisis. The discussions involve what Ukraine might need to give up in order to reach an agreement.
However, Zelensky said that the United States or the European Union did not pressure him to consider making major concessions to Russia. He emphasized that Ukraine was not ready to start peace talks with Russia.
The Kremlin has repeatedly emphasized that there are no prerequisites for the transition of the situation in Ukraine to a peaceful direction. Russia’s absolute priority is to achieve the established goals of the special military operation, which can only be achieved through military means.
The U.S. Department of Defense issued a statement on the 3rd of this month, announcing that it would provide a new batch of military assistance worth $425 million to Ukraine. The list shows that the weapons aiding Ukraine include missiles and rockets adapted to the “National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System” and the “Haimas” multiple rocket launcher system, as well as 155 mm and 105 mm caliber artillery shells, “TAO” Type anti-tank missiles, “Javelin” anti-tank missiles, more than 3 million rounds of small arms ammunition and grenades, and laser-guided munitions used to attack drones.
European Commission President von der Leyen visited Kiev on the 4th and held talks with Zelensky. Von der Leyen said the purpose of the trip was to discuss the EU’s financial support for Ukraine.
Analysts believe that overall, there is a huge gap between the goals of Russia and Ukraine, and negotiations are unlikely. Moreover, the United States and the West have not stopped providing support to Ukraine, and the dawn of peace in the Ukrainian crisis is still elusive.
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2023-11-09 19:14:00
