WASHINGTON: Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to Washington sent Russia a message of steadfast unity and resolve, but defense analysts say he needs more concrete battlefield gains to sustain US and NATO backing through 2023 and fend off pressure to negotiate with Moscow.
In his first trip outside Ukraine since the war began last February, Zelenskyy earned firm pledges of support from President Joe Biden at the White House and then from US lawmakers whom he addressed in Congress.
But the thin attendance of Republicans for the Ukraine leader’s congressional address, and Biden’s reticence to provide him powerful offensive weapons, citing allies’ concerns, showed there remained limits to the support.
That adds pressure on Kyiv’s forces to show more progress in fighting Russia’s army in the coming months.
“For the next several months, Ukraine is in a good spot in terms of financial support from both the United States and European allies and partners,” said Luke Coffey, a defense expert at the Hudson Institute.
Sometime this winter Coffey expects Kyiv’s forces to launch a new thrust toward Russian-held Melitopol in the south.
If successful, that could shore up support over the longer term, he said.
“But we have to start thinking like, this will be a war that’s measured in years and not months. And we have to start planning accordingly,” he added.
THREAT OF WAR FATIGUE
Washington’s commitment was on display during Zelenskyy’s lightning half-day visit.
Congress is near to approving US$45 billion in aid for Ukraine, and the White House announced a new US$1.85 billion arms package, including a Patriot missile battery, the Pentagon’s most advanced air defence system.
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