How the West is 'quietly shifting' its Ukraine strategy: Politico
4 Min Read
This comes against the White House and Pentagon claims that there has been no formal change in policy toward Ukraine.
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US President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky at the G7 Leaders' Summit in Hiroshima, Japan, May 21, 2023(AFP)
Citing numerous unidentified sources, Politico has reported that the US and the EU have abandoned their goal of "total victory" against Russia in favor of a negotiated settlement that may give some territory to Moscow.
Both the White House and the Pentagon have publicly said there has been no formal change in policy. However, according to Politico's Michael Hirsh, two unidentified US government officials, including a White House spokesperson, and a European ambassador expressed that this is not the case.
Hirsh detailed that American and European officials are now "discussing the redeployment" of Ukrainian soldiers away from the "mostly failed" counteroffensive and toward a defensive posture.
He also mentioned that while US President Joe Biden used to declare he would assist Ukraine for "as long as it takes," he is now saying for "as long as we can." With new aid funds stalled in Congress, the US administration is advocating for "rapidly resurrecting" Ukraine's defense sector.
An anonymous White House spokesman told Politico that discussions have always been the US endgame in Ukraine, and all help to Kiev has been designed to give it "the strongest hand possible when that comes."
Last week, Pentagon Comptroller Michael McCloud said in a letter obtained by Sputnik that the US will run out of Ukraine aid funding on December 30 after it completes a transfer of $1.07 billion to replenish US stocks of weapons sent to Ukraine.
Biden wants to avoid bad headlines during election year
The author remarked that Biden aspires for a ceasefire in both Ukraine and the Middle East because his backing for "Israel's" war on Gaza is costing him massive support among young Democrats, and he wishes to "avoid bad headlines in an election year."
However, Hirsh highlighted that Biden "can't appear to be handing the advantage" to Russia after spending nearly two years pledging complete support for Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelensky's goal of absolute triumph.
Read more: Russia declares full control of Maryinka in Donetsk
According to a congressional person familiar with the administration's contemplating, the White House "can't back down publicly because of the political risk" to Biden, who admitted that negotiations regarding peace talks "are starting".
Hirsh emphasized that the White House now worries that Russia will not be willing to engage until after the November 2024 election, after it is too late for Biden to sustain his campaign.
Russia to prevail in Ukraine war if EU doesn't shift strategy: Borrell
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell warned on Sunday that Russia would emerge victorious in the Ukraine conflict unless the EU alters its direction and mobilizes all its capabilities.
"And if we don't change course rapidly, if we don't mobilise all our capacities, it will let [Russian President Vladimir] Putin win the war in Ukraine," Borrell told The Guardian.
He further referred to Russia as a "great power" that allegedly poses a threat to European democracy.
"The important thing is what we can do in order to avoid Russia winning the war. What are we ready to do? Are we really ready to do everything it takes? This is the question that we have to put ourselves," Borrell was quoted as saying by the newspaper.
On December 14, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the war in Ukraine is a "civil war" between brothers and that Moscow entertains historical relations with Ukraine.
However, "after the coup d’etat of 2014, it became clear to us that we would no longer be allowed, by force, to build any sort of normal relations with Ukraine," Putin said.
