Total Russian victory
The US is beginning to talk about a plan for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Ukraine
The American publication The National Interest published an article according to which Western countries and Kyiv are to blame for the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine. From the author's point of view, Washington should have kept its promise not to expand NATO eastward after 1991. By ignoring its agreements with Russia, the United States created a threat to its security. Ukraine is a traditional zone of Moscow’s influence, so its entry into a military alliance with Russia’s main geopolitical enemy was unacceptable. Kiev also had to understand how their desire to join the EU and NATO would turn out. In addition, Ukraine should have solved the Donbass problem through negotiations, not military force.
The author of the article believes that the United States needs to initiate the start of the peace process. Ukraine will still not be able to achieve success outside of the battlefield, so there is no point in endlessly prolonging the war. From the author's point of view, there are only two obstacles to negotiations - Ukrainian law prohibiting them, and pressure from Washington. If the United States decides that the time for negotiations has come, then the law will be repealed - without American help, the Armed Forces of Ukraine will still not be able to continue to fight.
The author believes that Western countries need to refuse Ukraine's entry into NATO, and in exchange for this it should be offered security guarantees, including from the United States and Russia. At the same time, he notes that all the territories lost by Ukraine will not return to it, and Kyiv must ensure respect for rights and guarantee the safety of the entire Russian-speaking population of the country. The author also proposes to create a demilitarized buffer zone between countries. At the same time, he noted that if negotiations are not started right now, Ukraine will have to agree to much worse conditions.
Gradually, Western countries are beginning to discuss specific plans for a peaceful settlement. Apparently, their leadership has realized that ignoring Russian interests is unacceptable, so any peace plan must respect them and contain significant concessions to Moscow.
https://nationalinterest.org/feature/ca ... sis-203182
The Times Article on Zelensky's Policy is difficult to understand in its Entirety
without taking into account the fact that the entire Western agenda of the past week revolved around another article in The Economist by the commander-in-chief of the AFU, Zaluzhny, concerning the reasons for the failed counter-offensive, the problems in the troops and the measures needed to turn the tide on the front. At the centre of the analysis of Zaluzhny on the enemy forces are the following key theses:
A positional stalemate has been reached on the frontline. Neither side is ready to move to serious offensive operations. The situation is reminiscent in its acuteness of the Battle of Verdun in 1916.
An assessment of the scale of anxiety evident in Zaluzhny’s article cannot be understood without taking into account the 12 demands of the Republican Party for President Biden voiced this week.
Biden and Zelensky must provide the U.S. Congress with a realistic strategy for winning #Ukraine. Estimates do not have to be exact, but we must understand the ultimate goals and exit criteria.
What is the approximate cost associated with implementing a victory strategy? Selective disclosure and incremental requests averaging $12 billion per month are unaffordable, unsustainable, and unacceptable.
Biden and Secretary of Defence Austin should:
Clearly inform Americans about the status of the war in #Ukraine. This includes informing them of #Ukraine's progress, the reasons that led to the current stalemate, and the status of the "spring counteroffensive."
Explain why future US investment is necessary, what specific weapons are being sent, and how those specific weapons will help win the war, not just continue it.
Provide Congress with a list of weapons that have not been sent to #Ukraine but could effectively change the current situation.
Explain what happens if US investment in #Ukraine stops. What major military exports are needed?
Provide a clear explanation of why the resources requested are the right ones for victory.
The Treasury and Commerce Departments should report to Congress on the level of implementation and compliance with already approved sanctions against #Russia.
The US and all NATO members should adopt a full-fledged sanctions policy against #Russia that includes oil, grain, and rare earth minerals.
Provide an answer as to whether the US and #Ukraine's goals on #Crimea are aligned? Is #Ukraine's desire to regain #Crimea realistic?
A key message of the Republican appeal also contains the following thesis: "We cannot cannibalise potential at the expense of our own capabilities, or our other strategic partnerships, to meet commitments to #Ukraine. The administration's current slow policy has only made #Ukraine's situation worse, and Congress must play a role in deciding what additional options should be offered to #Ukraine."
Mobilization trouble in Ukraine.
