A lethargic West shackled by “fatalism, complacency and a shocking lack of strategic vision” is why Ukraine is losing against Russia, The Economist has speculated.
President Vladimir Putin “looks as if he could win,” — that is the startling pronouncement made by the outlet. The reality of the botched counteroffensive and Kiev regime infighting, more than hints at this.
Russia’s President is credited by the authors for having “procured military supplies” with foresight, forged strong ties with the Global South, which the West has alienated, and, most importantly, “undermining the conviction in the West” that Ukraine can emerge from the conflict victorious.
Stating the obvious, the magazine admitted that Ukraine’s counter-offensive has “stalled,” and predicts that next year Russia will be “in a stronger position to fight.” Russia’s military, it said, will have at its disposal more drones and artillery shells, while its army has “developed successful electronic-warfare tactics against some Ukrainian weapons.”
Furthermore, the “battlefield shapes politics,” and “momentum affects morale,” said the report, meaning the lack of battlefield results shown by Ukraine’s Armed Forces, the manpower and military hardware losses despite billions-worth of NATO assistance are all increasing “Ukraine fatigue.”
Even some of the Kiev regime’s fervant supporters, including Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, are singing a different tune — hinting that “we need to talk” with Russia.
As things look increasingly bleak for the Ukrainian president, reports are coming in of behind-the-scenes infighting for control of Ukraine and a feud between President Zelensky and armed forces commander-in-chief General Valery Zaluzhny.
Zaluzhny had undercut President Volodymyr Zelensky’s optimistic appraisal in an op-ed for the same The Economist earlier, admitting that the summer counteroffensive had hit a stalemate and that there would be no “deep and beautiful breakthrough” against Russia, regardless of what NATO textbooks state. Needless to say, this incensed Zelensky, who dismissed the assessment and proceeded to sack Zaluzhny’s aides.
With support for embattled Zelensky waning, and the Palestine-Israel conflict pushing him out of the headlines, “dissent in Kiev will grow louder" The Economist said, adding:
“So will voices in the West saying that sending Ukraine money and weapons is a waste.”
The publication points to other obvious facts, such as that Western sanctions intended to cripple Russia have not only failed but backfired. The scheme to limit Russian oil revenues by capping the price for its crude at $60 a barrel failed, it states, pointing to the “parallel trading structure has emerged beyond the reach of the West.”
Vladimir Putin, who recently told on a plenary session of the World Russian People's Council that Russia was waging a "national liberation" fight against the "global hegemon," is also acknowledged as having “strengthened his position at home.”
Meanwhile, as NATO’s proxy war against Russia continues, the mood in Kiev is growing ever “darker,” with the overspill from corruption scandals and the bitter jostling for influence having decimated Zelensky’s approval ratings in local polls.
Other polls show a similar trend in the West. Washington’s allies in NATO, the EU may publicly pledge continuing support for propping up Kiev, but surveys around the world suggest otherwise.
The European Union has pledged Ukraine €50bn ($56bn), but Hungary is threatening to block the aid and veto Kiev’s EU membership bid. Hungary will never agree to link the issue of paying Ukraine from the European Union budget and its admission into the bloc to the return of frozen money from EU funds to Budapest, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has reiterated, adding that "Ukraine is not ready to start talks on its membership in the European Union in any way."
The leader of the opposition Freedom Party of Austria (FPO), Herbert Kickl, also labeled as sheer “political madness" moves by the EU to seek the accession of Ukraine, a country mired in an active armed conflict. The formal decision to open membership talks with Kiev will be made at the EU summit in Brussels on December 14-15.
In the US, the Biden administration is battling the headwinds as it tries to push through Congress additional funding for Ukraine worth over $60bn. In November, Biden was forced to sign legislation to temporarily fund the federal government into next year that does not include additional aid to Israel and Ukraine.
As to public opinion, forty-five percent of Americans believe that military aid the United States has provided to Ukraine has not been worth the cost, according to a poll by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs published in October. The survey also showed that 49 percent of Americans believe their country should urge Ukraine to engage in peace talks to stop the conflict as soon as possible.
As the US Congress and some 2024 US presidential contenders, like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Vivek Ramaswamy, increasingly speak out against continued support for Ukraine and the EU bloc squabbles over further aid for Kiev, support is likely to fragment further.