Cracks show in US-Ukraine relations over Bakhmut, Crimea, Nord Stream
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Zelensky wants to re-capture Crimea, something that the White House now considers impossible given Russia's firm hold on the territory.
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Ukrainian soldiers in a trench under Russian shelling on the frontline close to Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Sunday, March 5, 2023 (AP Photo/Libkos, File)
A report published by Politico on Sunday revealed that relations between the US and Ukraine are starting to show fractures in light of several points of disagreement over the conflict in Ukraine.
"I see the little fissures, but those have existed with points of disagreement and varied views between the US and Ukraine even before the big February invasion, and since then," said Shelby Magid, deputy director of the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center. "Zelensky has made pointed remarks before toward the US, and the White House has expressed disagreement with him — publicly and privately — on specific aspects, but that hasn’t shifted or eaten away at the overall US support and partnership."
Points of disagreement mainly revolve around the conflict and the modalities of its ending, as well as the fight in Bakhmut (Artyomovsk). Zelensky wants to re-capture Crimea, something that the White House now considers impossible given Russia's firm hold on the territory.
Washington has also pointed the finger at Kiev over the Nord Stream sabotage, blaming a "pro-Ukraine" group for carrying the attack when it was revealed by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Seymour Hersh that US navy divers planted explosives on the pipelines during NATO drills that were held in the summer of 2022.
The news which appeared in a report published by the New York Times signaled to Kiev that the Biden administration would not tolerate "certain acts of violence" outside of Ukraine's borders.
The report states that US officials are raising concerns over Ukraine's uncontrollable spending spree on recruiting manpower and ammunition to defend Bakhmut, a town that holds "more of a symbolic value" than the strategic hub it is for receiving new recruits and ammo, as US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin put it.
Ukraine's armed forces say they have been preparing for an offensive this Spring but looking at the heavy losses Kiev sustained over the past few months, US officials worry that troops may not have the capacity to mount the offensive.
Read more: Russia may capture Bakhmut 'in coming days': NATO chief
Most recent updates on the conflict in Bakhmut reveal that Ukrainian Forces say they have been fighting in the city for the sole purpose of "buying more time" before the start of their Spring offensive.
"We must buy us some time to bring in reserves and begin the spring counteroffensive, which is nearing," Ukraine's Commander of the Eastern Group of Ukraine's Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Saturday.
The words of Syrskyi contradict what the Ukrainian President said a few days ago, as Zelensky emphasized the strategic importance of Bakhmut, saying that the road would be open East in case the city falls to the Russians.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had highlighted the possible scenarios in the event that Russian forces capture Bakhmut during an interview for CNN on march 8th, warning that Russian forces could go further.
"They could go to Kramatorsk, they could go to Sloviansk, it would be an open road for the Russians after Bakhmut to other towns in Ukraine, in the Donetsk direction."
Zelensky also told CNN on Wednesday that his forces are to stay in Bakhmut.
"Of course, we have to think about the lives of our military. But we have to do whatever we can whilst we're getting weapons, and supplies and our army is getting ready for the counter-offensive."
Meanwhile, the founder of the Wagner private military company, Yevgeny Prigozhin said that Russian forces are currently located 1.2 kilometers from the administrative center of Bakhmut.
"That's about a five-story building where the smoke comes from - the building of the city administration, the administrative center of the city. It's one kilometer and two hundred meters away," Prigozhin said in a video published on Telegram on Saturday from the positions of Russian forces in Bakhmut.
The message was accompanied by a video showing the former main fortified areas of the Kiev's armed forces, noting that Ukrainians will attempt to carry out a counteroffensive from the north of the city.
📝🇷🇺➡️⚔️🏴☠️🇺🇦🏴☠️⚔️⤵️#WagnerPMC Yevgeny Prigozhin: Fighters "Orchestra" 1.2 km from the administration building and the center of #Bakhmut.
— 🌐World News 24 🌍🌎🌏 (@DailyWorld24) March 11, 2023
Being on the roof of a multi-storey building in the city, he spoke about the situation, about the positions taken, as well as about the pic.twitter.com/EjqljqmHYA
Read more: Biden could 'drop' Kiev after blaming it for Nord Stream sabotage
