The Biden Administration is developing a new strategy that will shift the focus from regaining territories to supporting Ukraine’s capabilities in rejecting new Russian advances, as part of a long-term plan to strengthen the country’s military power and economy in its war against Russia, according to the Washington Post.
A senior official of the American administration told WP that the US aims to help Ukraine maintain its positions on the battlefield, while at the same time putting the country “on a different trajectory to be much stronger by the end of 2024 […] and to put it on a more sustainable path.”
“It’s pretty clear that it will be difficult for them to exert the same kind of major pressure on all fronts they tried last year,” a senior official of the administration said.
The US plan is part of the multilateral efforts of nearly 30 countries that are meant to provide Ukraine with long-term economic and security support.
Each country is preparing a document in which it defines its commitments for a period of up to 10 years. The UK has already done so on the occasion of the visit of the British Prime Minister to Kiev, and France is expected to follow suit.
However, the success of the strategy depends almost entirely on the US, which is by far the largest donor to Ukraine and the coordinator of the multilateral effort, the WP reported.
This spring, the Biden administration hopes to publicly announce the 10-year commitment of the US, which is currently being worked on by the Department of State with White House approval. However, for it to be possible, the $61 billion aid package requested by the US President for additional funding for Ukraine must be approved by the US Congress.
The shaky ground on which this aid is now based, with Republican lawmakers in the House of Representatives seemingly vehemently rejecting the money, has worried both Western allies and Ukraine itself.
“Certainly, US leadership and long-term commitment, but also in this very important phase, are essential,” a senior European official said. “Additional assistance is needed and must continue… not only on the ground, but also as a demonstration of Western determination… to make [Putin] understand that he will not win.”
American officials told WP that the US’s prepared document will guarantee support for short-term military operations, as well as for building a future Ukrainian military force capable of deterring Russian aggression.
This will include programs that contribute to the protection, reconstruction, and expansion of Ukraine’s industrial and export base, and to support the country in terms of the political reforms necessary for full integration into Western institutions, the American publication wrote.
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