Iruni Kalupahana JadeTimes Staff
I. Kalupahana is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Russia-Ukraine war
U.S. Foreign Policy and the War in Ukraine
With the arrival of a new presidential administration, one of the most important foreign policy decisions facing the United States has been the extent to which the country should support Ukraine in its ongoing war with Russia. Approaching its third anniversary, the war has been devastating to both sides, tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers and an estimated 700,000 Russian casualties. The assistance has seesawed between the U.S. and NATO despite continued Western aid. Meanwhile, Russia, with sharp shortages of modern tanks, is sending in outdated equipment from the 1970s. The new U.S. president will have to decide whether to continue the present levels of support or to push for a negotiated settlement, as President elect Donald Trump has indicated.
Strategic Military Gains by Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently called the Kursk operation one of the greatest victories since the beginning of Russia's full scale invasion. Speaking at a U.S. air base in Ramstein, Germany, Zelenskyy underscored that Russia was forced to throw all considerable forces, including 60,000 troops, into defense of the Kursk region, reinforcing them with North Korea. Zelenskyy believes that a lot of threats from Russia had been bluffs, particularly after the good result for Ukraine in Kursk. The Ukrainian leader remains optimistic that further pressure will eventually force Russia to seek peace, thus firming up the case for more Western support.
Shifting U.S. Political Landscape and Zelenskyy's Strategy
With the U.S. gearing toward the transition of a new presidency, analysts foresee a lessened U.S. commitment to Ukraine as the political landscape changes. Tim Willasey-Wilsey, a visiting professor at King's College London, said that the Kursk operation was one of many strategic actions Zelenskyy undertook to gain leverage in any future negotiations. And indeed, the timing of these military moves reflects a clear understanding that the date of January 20, 2025, could mark a turn in the shifting tides of American policy. Whatever the incoming administration's position, Zelenskyy is positioning Ukraine for some kind of bargaining with a West whose support has proved sporadic.
Comments