In the wake of Ukraine’s struggling counteroffensive against Russia, the Biden administration and leaders across Europe have quietly moved away from supporting President Volodymyr Zelensky’s “total victory” strategy, a new report suggests. World leaders now reportedly favor a position of defensive negotiation for Ukraine, admitting that Russian-held territories have been lost — a view once held only by those accused of being “Putin stooges” and “Russia propagandists.”
According to a report from Politico, American officials still publicly support the Ukrainian government’s goal of fully driving out Russian forces — an effort into which they have invested nearly $100 billion since February 2022. However, behind closed doors, the confidence of Ukraine’s allies has been shaken significantly, a Biden administration official and a European diplomat (both anonymous) told the outlet.
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With Ukraine repeatedly failing to recapture eastern territories taken by Russia and the American public becoming increasingly opposed to further aid payments, Biden officials are now advising the redeployment of the country’s forces into a more defensive position. Troops currently fighting to retake the contested territory would instead begin fortifying the border regions to prevent further incursions.
This effort also consists of bolstering air defense systems and building anti-tank fortifications along Ukraine’s northern border with Russian-allied Belarus. The plan would also attempt to shore up Ukraine’s struggling defense industry to manufacture weaponry domestically rather than rely on donations and lend-lease agreements.
The strategy, which would likely result in the permanent loss of the eastern territories, would nevertheless allow Ukraine to take a more stable position at the negotiating table when/if the two countries agree to talk terms.
“That’s been our theory of the case throughout — the only way this war ends ultimately is through negotiation,” said the anonymous White House spokesperson, who was not authorized to speak on the record. “We want Ukraine to have the strongest hand possible when that comes.”
However, the source emphasized that no peace talks have been planned yet, and hostilities may still continue until then. “We want them to be in a stronger position to hold their territory. It’s not that we’re discouraging them from launching any new offensive,” they added.
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This change in strategy coincides with a contentious election cycle for President Joe Biden, during which Ukraine will continue to be a major political issue, as well as the end of approved aid for the embattled country.
In an interview earlier this month, National Security Adviser John Kirby warned that Washington was “nearing the end of our ability” to provide military assistance to Ukraine given the objections of Congressional Republicans. On Wednesday, the administration provided Ukraine with another $250 million in weaponry, marking the last batch of equipment that will be sent unless Congress approves more in the new year.
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