President Volodymyr Zelensky believes that Ukraine’s partners “are afraid of Russia losing the war” and would like Kyiv “to win in such a way that Russia does not lose,” Zelensky said in a meeting with journalists attended by the Kyiv Independent.
Kyiv’s allies “fear” Russia’s loss in the war against Ukraine because it would involve “unpredictable geopolitics,” according to Zelensky. “I don’t think it works that way. For Ukraine to win, we need to be given everything with which one can win,” he said.
His statement came on May 16 amid Russia’s large-scale offensive in Kharkiv Oblast and ongoing heavy battles further east. In a week, Russian troops managed to advance as far as 10 kilometers in the northern part of Kharkiv Oblast, according to Zelensky.
I’m saying that if the West isn’t willing to directly go toe-to-toe with Russia then that is effectively giving them Ukrainian territory. They’ve held Crimea for 10 years, no sign of them leaving anytime soon. I think the west knows that they can’t or won’t do anything, but are just giving scraps to Ukraine to make it seem like they’re helping.
The status quo benefits Russia, because the onus is on Ukraine & the west to retake the territory lost.