kyiv, UKRAINE .- Ukraine commemorates two years of the Russian invasion, a prolonged war that maintains an increasingly gloomy scenario due to short-term uncertainty due to the possible lack of resources.
Facing shortages of soldiers, ammunition and doubts about Western support, the country led by Volodímir Zelenski is caught in a conflict that has taken an unfavorable turn with the Russian initiative on the battlefield
Although domestic arms production has been stepped up in Ukraine, supplies of ammunition are insufficient, and promises of Western aid have not been fully fulfilled.
In the midst of this gloomy panorama, the international community is closely observing the situation in Ukraine. The call for Western solidarity and support becomes urgent, not only for the security and stability of Ukraine, but also to avoid a humanitarian disaster of catastrophic proportions.
On the economic front, Ukraine’s dependence on Western aid is crucial. With a stalemate in the US Congress over a $60 billion package and divisions in the European Union, Western largesse has diminished. Although the EU approved a $54 billion initiative in February, these funds are expected to support reconstruction and the economy, not the fight against Russia.
The Ukrainian leadership relies on funding from Washington to acquire weapons, military equipment and strengthen its defenses. Without this support, Ukraine faces the threat of being unable to maintain its war effort or sustain its battered economy. But on the political level, the US continues to send messages of support to Ukraine.
New sanctions on Russia by the US
The President of the United States, Joe Biden, announced that Washington will decree more than 500 new sanctions against Russiain an attempt to increase pressure on Moscow on the occasion of the second anniversary of its war in Ukraine.
The United States will also impose new export restrictions on nearly 100 entities for providing support to Russia and take steps to further reduce Russia’s energy revenues, Biden said in a statement.
The measures seek to hold Russia responsible for the war and the death of opposition leader Alexei NavalniBiden said, as Washington seeks to continue supporting Ukraine even as it faces an acute ammunition shortage and U.S. military aid has been delayed for months in Congress.
The future of Ukraine hangs in the balance, and the response of the international community could be decisive in defining the destiny of a country that is fighting for its survival amid the uncertainties of war.
no one gives up
Two years after what the Kremlin called “military operations” that seized a quarter of Ukrainian territory, Kiev’s troops, who celebrated a series of triumphs in the first year of the conflict, now face a challenging landscape, entrenched and outnumbered and outgunned by their adversary.
“Neither side has won. No one has lost. No one is close to giving up. And both sides have practically exhausted the human and material resources with which they started the war,” said General Richard Barrons, a British military officer and co-president of a defense consultancy.
The Ukrainian counteroffensive failed to make significant progress, and the recent capture of the city of Avdiivka by Russian troops confirms the growing strength of the Russian offensive.
Zelensky sends a message of victory
Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country will defeat Russia as the war enters its third year. “We have been fighting for this for 730 days of our lives. We will win on the biggest day of our lives,” the president said during an outdoor event in kyiv to mark the anniversary.
“Any normal person wants the war to end. But none of us will allow Ukraine to end”stressed the Ukrainian leader, stressing that the war must end “on our terms”, with a “just” peace.
The president spoke alongside the prime ministers of Canada, Italy and Belgium, as well as the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, who arrived in kyiv to mark two years since the Russian invasion.
Zelensky hugged the leaders and presented medals to soldiers in a ceremony at Gostomel airport, which was the target of Russian attacks in the early days of the invasion.
“Two years ago, we received the enemy here with fire; “two years later, we welcome our friends and partners here,” the president said. Amid the solemnity of the occasion, Zelensky reaffirmed Ukraine’s determination to resist and achieve victory, pointing out that the war must end in conditions fair for the country.
Short-term challenges
The shortage of military personnel, with a 25% shortage in all brigades, places Ukraine in a vulnerable position against Russian attacks. Despite recruitment attempts, the number needed is between 450,000 and 500,000 new recruits, a monumental task.
Exact figures of military casualties are kept secret, but it is estimated that tens of thousands of civilians have lost their lives. The lack of financial and humanitarian support could have devastating consequences for the population.
Source: AP/AFP /DIARIO LAS AMÉRICAS EDITORIAL
