Both Ukrainian and foreign commanders and analysts believe there is no “silver bullet” to help Ukraine fight Russia. If his supporters want him to win, they should provide him with a range of key weapons and be prepared to invest in broader and longer-term support for Ukraine.
“There is no single system that alone can fundamentally change the situation on the battlefield. “It’s a matter of many different skills working together,” he believes. Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of NATO. He said this while noting that the expected arrival of F-16 fighter jets in Ukraine “will make a difference” by inflicting casualties on Russian invading forces and strengthening their air defenses, but will not change the course of the war.
The top Ukrainian military commander, General Valeri Zaluzhny, is also under no illusions that any weapon can help Ukraine defeat Russia and restore control over nearly 20% of its still occupied territory. In his previous article for The EconomistZaluzhni warned that Ukraine must prevent the war from becoming a purely positional war that would give an advantage to a larger side, Russia, with three times as many recruits.
To avoid stagnation, Ukraine would not only need modern aviation, which, according to Zaluzhni, could still play a very important role. It is important to develop means to combat Russian drones and increase the ability to destroy Russian artillery. Since both sides use extensive minefields, the ability to clear them without major losses is also crucial. Ukraine needs a decisive technological advantage over Russia, the general emphasized.
Ukraine wants to increase its production of missiles, ammunition, weapons and military equipment, it said Ivan Havryliuk, Deputy Secretary of Defense. However, the available funds pale in comparison to Russia’s 144 billion euros in the state budget alone. Furthermore, most of the critical capabilities could only be provided by the partners.
Instead, as many in Ukraine see it, the discussion about the arrival of F-16 fighter jets and long-range ATACMS and Taurus missiles from the US and Germany, respectively, illustrates a painstakingly slow process. Delivery of military aid to Ukraine. “Knowing that our partners have weapons that could save thousands of lives here and now is extremely demotivating for many Ukrainians at the front,” the officer explains to LA RAZÓN. Volodymyr Rudkovsky31, who lost his leg in a minefield in Zaporizhia.
Like many others, he must reconcile this with the understanding that Ukraine is able to contain Russian advances thanks to the military and financial support of its allies. However, if these partners really want to avoid Ukraine’s defeat, their current actions are neither sufficient nor fast enough. Western elites should abandon their “complacency” and act smarter to help Ukraine win, a military analyst says Mykola Bielieskov. “The fact that Russia suffered miserably in 2022 led some to believe that its mission was accomplished. Instead, Russia has partially recovered, including psychologically, and invested in the long-term struggle,” he writes.
Statements by Putin and his officials that his country might consider negotiations with Ukraine sound cynical to Ukrainians. They note that Russia shows no intention of stopping its deadly attacks both along the front line and against residential areas. Its defense spending will rise 68% in 2024, while international sanctions have failed to reduce its huge oil export revenues. “We don’t have enough strength to achieve the desired results faster.” But that doesn’t mean we should give up,” he says. Volodymyr Zelensky. The president acknowledged that the summer counteroffensive had not resulted in a breakthrough, but stressed that Ukraine had made significant progress in recent months against “a better armed and fortified enemy.”