As the eyes of the increasingly world turn to the middle east, Zelensky and some of his allies in Europe are struggling against the painful descent of Kiev into geopolitical irrelevance.
As the US and the UK struck Iran-backed Houthi military targets in Yemen, potentially opening a whole new military can of worms, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the Baltic states drumming up support for his noticeably weakening war effort.
In Washington, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said at a briefing: ‘Yes. We issued the last package of available supplies that we had funding to support’.
The situation in the war is deteriorating. Russians have the upper hand, slowly gaining territory while applying relentless pressure in multiple points of the 600 miles long frontline.
Newsweek reported:
“Russian air strikes have been particularly devastating in recent weeks. On Monday [8], The Kyiv Post reported that Ukraine suffered one of its ‘worst days of the entire war’ after 60 percent of Russian air strikes were successful, including 33 out of 51 attacks using missiles.”
Well, well, well …who’s the draft dodger now?
It turns out that Volodymyr Zelensky himself, the President of Ukraine, received a summons from the military registration and enlistment office three times in 2014 and once in 2015 but has not appeared to this day. pic.twitter.com/KjouZ0F9Vb
— SIMPLICIUS Ѱ (@simpatico771) January 12, 2024
In a press conference in the Estonian capital, Tallinn, Zelensky once again rejected a ‘cease-fire’ with Russia, insisting that it would not lead to political dialogue, and would only benefit Moscow.
Any pause, he insisted, would risk allowing Russia to re-group and boost its supply of munitions.
Reuters reported:
“‘The pause would not lead to an end of the war, it would not lead to political dialogue with Russia or someone else… And thank God this is all decided in Ukraine and there will be no pauses to benefit Russia’” he said.”
Later on in his fast-paced tour, already in the Latvian capital Riga, he stated Russia will launch an offensive ahead of the presidential election in March.
“‘They want some small tactical victories before (the elections), and prepare for something global or massive afterwards’, said Zelensky. ‘The situation on the front is very complicated; we lack weapons’, he added.”
Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are big Kiev supporters, but relatively small players in the grand European geopolitical landscape.
The embattled Ukrainian President has several tasks at hand: push back against ally fatigue; secure more financial and military aid; secure the ascension to NATO and the EU. None of these goals seem quite at hand at this moment.
“It will be difficult for Ukraine to survive unless it receives a delayed package of financial support from the European Union, he told media in Tallinn. The package was blocked by Hungary in December. ‘This support is very important to us’, said Zelensky.”
One may ask why the question of cease fire was so pressing yesterday, after all Russia is showing all signs to want to resolve things in the battlefield, with maximalist goals in mind.
The issue is only puzzling until we notice the ‘buried lead’: a NATO Defense Minister is calling for negotiations – a hard blow for Zelensky.
“Zelensky refused to comment on remarks by Italy’s defense minister on Wednesday that the time had come for diplomacy in the conflict. ‘I have never had such negotiations with Italy on any level, so it is hard for me to comment’, he said.”
NOT A JOKE:
— SIMPLICIUS Ѱ (@simpatico771) January 12, 2024
Other allies are pitching in: today (12) UK’s prime minister Rishi Sunak, in a warpath, fresh from the Yemen bombings, is already in Kiev to pledge continued support.
The Guardian reported:
“The UK prime minister, Rishi Sunak, is visiting Ukraine on Friday to meet his counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, as the UK announced it would provide further military aid to the country over the coming year.
The UK has been one of Kiev’s staunchest supporters since Russia’s invasion and Sunak said Britain would boost its support in the next financial year to £2.5bn , an increase of £200m on the previous two years.
The extra funding would help Ukraine purchase new military drones, including surveillance, long-range strike and sea drones with most of them expected to be manufactured in Britain.”
While the 3B+ support pledge is nothing to scoff at, it pales against the ‘blocked’ US and EU packages of hundreds of billions.
“[…] Sunak said: ‘For two years, Ukraine has fought with great courage to repel a brutal Russian invasion. They are still fighting, unfaltering in their determination to defend their country and defend the principles of freedom and democracy. I am here today with one message: the UK will also not falter. We will stand with Ukraine, in their darkest hours and in the better times to come’.
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