By KYIV. Dec 14 (Interfax-Ukraine) – As another winter of war arrives, voices skeptical of the Ukraine’s prospects are growing louder, however such pessimism may have dangerous consequences, Foreign Minister of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba said in an article published by Foreign Affairs.
“Voices skeptical of the country’s prospects are growing louder – not in diplomatic meetings or military planning sessions, but rather in news reports and in expert commentary. Most do not openly argue that Ukraine should simply give up its fight, but the pessimism, buttressed by supposedly pragmatic arguments, carries clear strategic implications that are both dangerous and wrong,” he said.
The minister said that pessimism is unwarranted, and “it would be a mistake to let defeatism shape our policy decisions going forward.”
“A Ukrainian victory will require strategic endurance and vision – as with our recent counteroffensive, the liberation of every square mile of territory requires enormous sacrifice by our soldiers – but there is no question that victory is attainable,” he said.
Kuleba also said that over nearly two years of brutal war in Ukraine, Russia has upped the ante to the point that half-solutions are impossible.
“Any outcome besides a clear defeat of Russia in Ukraine would have troubling implications, and not just for my country – it would cause a global disarray that would ultimately threaten the United States and its allies, as well. Authoritarian leaders and aggressors around the world are keeping a close watch on the results of Putin’s military adventure. His success, even if partial, would inspire them to follow in his footsteps. His defeat will make clear the folly of trying,” the minister said.
He also warned against freezing the conflict and establishing a ceasefire.
“The problem is not just that a cease-fire now would reward Russian aggression. Instead of ending the war, a cease-fire would simply pause the fighting until Russia is ready to make another push inland,” Kuleba said.
He recalled that between 2014 and 2022, Ukraine endured approximately 200 rounds of negotiations with Russia in various formats, as well as 20 attempts to establish a cease-fire in the smaller war that followed Russia’s 2014 illegal annexation of Crimea and occupation of Ukraine’s east.
“Following this flawed logic, Ukraine made some painful concessions. Where did it lead? To Russia’s full-scale attack on February 24, 2022. Declaring yet again that Ukraine must take the first step is both immoral and naïve,” the minister said.
Kuleba also emphasized that supporting Ukraine in its fight for freedom is not, and never has been, a charity.
“Every dollar invested in Ukraine’s defense returns clear security dividends for its supporters,” he said.
The minister also said that American assistance totaled roughly 3% of the annual U.S. defense budget and most of this money has in fact been spent in the United States, funding the U.S. defense industry.
“The United States has spent decades, and hundreds of billions of dollars, building and protecting an international order that could sustain and protect democracy and market economies, thus ensuring security and prosperity for Americans. It would be foolish to give up on that investment now. If democracy is allowed to fall in Ukraine, adversaries of the United States will perceive weakness and understand that aggression pays. The price tag for defending U.S. national security against such threats would be many times higher than the one for supporting Ukraine and could spark decades of global turbulence with an uncertain outcome,” Kuleba said.
No country in the world desires peace more than Ukraine, he said.
“It is Ukraine that is paying the greatest price for this war. […] Yet even with our suffering, weariness, and struggles, Ukrainians are not willing to give up, to opt for ‘peace’ at any price. […] Western analysts who urge Ukraine to accept a hasty cease-fire on unfavorable terms neglect such views,” the minister said.
He also said that a narrative of “attrition” is false and one should not be duped into believing that Moscow is ready for a fair negotiated solution.
“Opting to accept Putin’s territorial demands and reward his aggression would be an admission of failure, which would be costly for Ukraine, for the United States and its allies, and for the entire global security architecture. Staying the course is a difficult task. But we know how to win, and we will,” Kuleba said.
