Counteroffensive 2024: The media named the main objective

In 2024, Ukraine will focus its efforts on the liberation of Crimea, while the front line on the mainland will remain unchanged. The Economist writes about this on Thursday, January 4, following an interview with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky.

“The peninsula is an important supply route for Russian troops in southern Ukraine; its annexation in 2014 was a propaganda victory for Putin. A successful Ukrainian attack on Crimea would damage Russia’s capabilities and Putin will be embarrassed,” the publication said.

At the same time, the authors of the material note that the supporters of Ukraine in the West are currently assuming that Zelensky’s great statements will be enough to get military and financial support. However, now, against the backdrop of the cessation of US military aid and financial support from the EU, it is time for Western politicians to take on the task of explaining why the West should continue to support Ukraine.

The publication notes that the $61 billion in aid to Ukraine stalled in Congress amounts to only 6.9% of the US defense budget. And EU spending on Ukraine is a tiny fraction of its member states’ GDP. While the cost of containing a successful Russia is greater than the cost of supporting the Ukrainian success.

“The leaders of the West can no longer abandon the conversation with Zelensky. They need to make their own arguments for sending money to Ukraine,” the publication notes, emphasizing that it needs to be done now.

Let’s remember that at the last press conference, Zelensky explained why the counteroffensive did not go according to plan, as well as the realistic goals planned to be achieved in the next 12 months.