The US and Ukrainian military commands are actively working together to seek a fresh a new strategic approach to continuing the war against Russia in 2024, according to reports in The New York Times (NYT), citing officials from both countries.
“The stakes are huge. Without both a new strategy and additional funding, American officials say Ukraine could lose the war,” the publication contends.
US officials warn that unless there's a shift in strategy, 2024 might resemble 1916 - the deadliest year of World War I – during which numerous young lives were lost, and the battle lines barely moved.
Washington advocates for a “hold and build” strategy, urging Ukraine to hold its current positions, fortify its military capability, and focus on building its ability to produce its own weapons during 2024.
This approach, according to US officials, would empower Ukraine to withstand potential future Russian offensives.
The strategy's ultimate goal is to establish a credible deterrent, compelling Russia to consider peace negotiations by the close of 2024 or in 2025.
Conversely, Ukrainian representatives, are more in favor of an offensive strategy involving ground assaults or long-range strikes, according to NYT.
Drawing inspiration from successful deep strikes on Crimea in the previous fall, Ukrainian planners are contemplating tactics that target weapons factories, depots, railway lines crucial for transporting ammunition to achieve symbolic victories that will destabilize Russia.
‘Trophies of the Russian Army’ – Ukraine at War Update for May 2
While a former senior military official from Ukraine refrained from divulging details, he acknowledged the development of a “very bold” new plan.
Both American and Ukrainian officers plan to refine the specifics of their strategy during war games in scheduled to take place in Wiesbaden, Germany, in January.
The call for a revamped strategy is a direct result of the setbacks suffered during the Ukrainian counteroffensive and concerns over waning support from the US Congress.
Ukrainian representatives are uncertain about the sustainability of ongoing US support while at the same time, according to US officials, they harbor unrealistic expectations regarding American aid.
“They are asking for millions of rounds of artillery, for example, from Western stockpiles that do not exist,” American officials said.
American officials are cautioning their Ukrainian counterparts that any support approved by Congress is unlikely to match the scale of assistance provided during the initial two years of the war - which is more than $111 billion.
At the same time US strategists insist that Ukraine shouldn't necessarily aim to reclaim all of the nearly 20 percent of the country it has lost, in order to achieve victory in the war. This stance starkly contrasts with Kyiv's avowed aims which sees the only path to victory being “returning to the borders of 1991.”
“Strengthening their defenses and building up their own abilities to produce more weaponry, could be enough to strengthen Ukraine’s hand when calls for peace talks to end the war inevitably restart,” American officials are quoted as saying by the NYT.
Republican senators last week blocked a White House request for $106 billion in emergency aid primarily intended for Ukraine and Israel.
Conservatives said they would refuse the package for these close foreign allies unless Democrats and the White House also agreed to far-ranging immigration reforms.
At the same time, Secretary of State Antony Blinken referred to a $175 million package as being “one of the last” that could be offered to Ukraine with the money that has already been approved by Congress.
On Monday, Dec. 11, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in the US in a critical attempt to secure more military aid to fight Russia’s full-scale invasion.
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Comments (3)
lets see.
“hold and build” strategy is really "hold and let Russia build more than Ukraine".
Russia is larger and can produce more than Ukraine, so Russia gains more than Ukraine. After Ukraine 'holds', it will be told to give in to Russia''s superiority. US has been bull shitting all along.
US is a failed state. It is NOT a United States working for the common good of its' people. It is a disunited country working against itself. Rather than compromising by closing the southern border and funding Ukraine, both items helping US citizens in different ways, the Republicans and Democrats try to screw each other.
I hope some US organizations keep reminding US citizens the promises Biden and other politicos made concerning backing Ukraine all the way. The US citizens should be made aware that the US is backing down once more.
The NYT compares this war with 1916. They claim Zeluzhny was really saying there's a stalemate because that supports their negotiation position. Or that the Ukrainians failed to execute a counter offensive of maneuver like NATO trained them for. Never mind that NATO would never begin a counteroffensive until they had complete control of the air over the battlefield. We wouldn't give Ukraine the F16s to accomplish that, so of course war of maneuver was never on the table. We won't give them long range missiles. So what happened was sorta like 1916 except that neither side in WWI had air superiority so they could ignore it. That's why they had a stalemate. Ukraine has to accept positional warfare because the west won't supply the weapons needed to do maneuver warfare. But that's Ukraine's fault according to these appeasers. Ukraine must negotiate!
We cannot drop aid to Ukraine. We will end up in another world war if we abandon Ukraine. Putin already has a second front in Gaza. Kim is rattling nukes in N. Korea. Xi is increasingly threatening the Philippines over the Spratly Islands and he keeps threatening Taiwan. All of this could explode if the democracies walk away from Ukraine. We cannot let that happen. Or we can let that happen and it will force the US to go to war and we'll help Ukraine then. Which is cheaper? Which is the safer option? I say help Ukraine now, no matter the discomfort. We have to wake up. This is real.
Do not pay any attention to those American advisers that think Ukraine should simply hold in place and even may think you should surrender your land for peace. These people are morons. Yes building up your defenses in the areas you currently hold is a good idea but destruction of Russia's systems used to attack Ukraine needs to be targeted. Let them feel the war in Russia itself and in the parts of Ukraine they occupy and attack any source of supplies or offensive weapons in Russia itself. Hold in place will result in permanent loss of occupied lands and so build up defense on the front lines but continue to attack Russia where ever and when ever you can.