Warnings Over Fatigue Of Russia-Ukraine Conflict – Fatigue over the Russian invasion of Ukraine prompts fears from Eastern European allies that Kyiv may be forced into peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Ukraine War: An Update
President Joe Biden has repeatedly stressed his support for the war-torn nation, pledging arms and funding “for as long as it takes.”
However, some Republican opponents have expressed doubt over support for a country halfway around the world. Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis have already pledged to cut funding for Ukraine.
At the same time, former president Donald Trump insists he will be able to resolve the conflict within 24 hours of taking office, should he win next year’s election.
Concerns From NATO Allies
Naturally, NATO allies bordering the Russian Federation and Belarus – the latter effectively a Russian puppet state – have been the strongest supporters of Kyiv.
“What do we need to do? Plan for Ukrainian victory. Not plan to stand with Ukraine ‘as long as it needs, as long as it requires,’” Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said during a conference in Spain last week. “Plan for victory, they need to win, they need to win for us.”
Despite a slow start to its 2023 counteroffensive, Ukraine has made notable gains around Robotyne, reportedly reaching the second line of Russian defense.
However, patience among some Americans is running thin, with many wondering as to why the White House is focusing on foreign affairs over domestic issues.
In August, the head of the Polish National Security Bureau, Jacek Siewierą, said Putin sought to create a “new global order” extending beyond the borders of Ukraine.
“This confrontation with the West, from the side of Russia, is probably a structural shift or development. … It will last for a long period of time. It won’t stop with a ceasefire,” Siewierą continued. “This confrontation is something that Russia is treating as a pre-positioning for a new global order.”
Peace Conditions
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has maintained that peace talks can only recognize Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders and include security guarantees against further Russian aggression.
It’s a view shared by Eastern European allies, including one Baltic official, speaking anonymously to The Hill, who said: “All of this then increases the threat on NATO’s borders. Putin would be able to sell negotiations as a victory, and [it] would help him exert even greater political influence globally — we already see it in Africa, in Niger and South Africa. It’s not only a military threat but a diplomatic one, too.”
Combined with the cooperation with Belarus, Russia could be targeting other European countries next.
“So governments who are neighboring Belarus and Russia are expressing very openly that they don’t accept any form of provocations, any form of hostile activity on their borders,” said Siewierą, warning of a potential infiltration.
Without continued U.S. support, nightmares of Soviet-era oppression – where national identities were banned – are becoming all too real.
Shay Bottomley is a British journalist based in Canada. He has written for the Western Standard, Maidenhead Advertiser, Slough Express, Windsor Express, Berkshire Live and Southend Echo, and has covered notable events including the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
