'Wear, tear' signs in US-Ukraine ties, as Pentagon grows ‘frustrated’
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According to an NYT report, the Pentagon is growing frustrated at Ukrainian leadership for deploying soldiers in battles that "lack strategic value."
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Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken attend their meeting on April 24, 2022, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. (AP)
Two years into the confrontation with Russia, the Pentagon is getting "frustrated" with Ukraine for refusing to accept battlefield advice from the US military, The New York Times reported.
Washington's relationship with Kiev has recently been "showing signs of wear and tear" and "might be stuck in a bit of a rut," according to the NYT report Thursday.
The report details that the Pentagon's "exasperation" with the Ukrainians stems from "a single, recurring issue," namely that American military planners feel Ukraine should focus its resources on "one big fight at a time." Despite the advice, President Volodymyr Zelensky has been deploying his soldiers "in battles for towns that US officials say lack strategic value."
The most recent example was the struggle for Avdiivka, a significant Ukrainian bastion in Russia's People's Republic of Donetsk that Russian soldiers seized in February, according to the research.
According to the arms-maker-funded Institute for the Study of War, the victory in the battle of Avdiivka has opened new avenues for land control in surrounding areas, and Russian forces are working rapidly to increase their presence along the frontlines before Ukrainian forces rebuild a more cohesive defense line.
Other think tanks found that Russian troops have expanded to other parts of Donetsk, including west of Bakhmut and eastern parts of Ivanivske.
"Avdiivka was a pyrrhic victory but a victory nonetheless. The ground behind it is flatter and the breaching of this stronghold calls into question Ukraine's overall strategy amid the hold-up in US Congress," Zev Faintuch, the senior intelligence analyst at security firm Global Guardian, told Newsweek.
"If the [US] aid bill isn't passed soon, there will be more Avdiivkas as Russia tries to seize the opportunity to cement its gains in Donetsk," Faintuch added.
Americans 'highly frustrated' with Ukrainian leadership
US officials explained that even though it was "clear" that Russia would prevail, "Ukraine held out, rather than conduct a strategic withdrawal," leading Americans to be highly frustrated by Ukrainian leadership.
Ukraine, for its part, is "increasingly disheartened that American political paralysis has resulted in shortages of ammunition for troops on the front," according to the article. For several months, US President Joe Biden's administration has been unable to overcome Republican lawmakers' opposition and pass a $60 billion assistance plan for Ukraine.
Ukrainians are also said to have complained at the administration's slow progress in approving "advanced weapons systems that could cross perceived Russian red lines, from fighter jets to long-range missiles," according to the report.
Zelensky is not seeking the deployment of United States troops to fight on Ukrainian soil, White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby said Tuesday.
Zelensky, Kirby argued, is urgently requesting additional security assistance as Ukraine's munition supplies are depleting in light of the Russian offensive.
"There's not going to be US troops on the ground fighting inside Ukraine... President Zelensky isn't asking for that, he's just asking for the tools and capabilities," Kirby claimed.
