**Ukraine’s War Efforts: A Reality Check**
In a recent video address to a forum in Kyiv, Ukraine’s Ambassador to the UK, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, delivered a sobering assessment of his country’s chances of retaking Russian-occupied territories. According to Zaluzhnyi, Ukraine cannot expect to regain control over its lost lands as long as Moscow has the resources to continue its war efforts.
**A Minimum Wage War**
Zaluzhnyi emphasized that Ukraine can only engage in a “high-tech war of survival” using minimal human and economic resources. This stark reality check acknowledges that Ukraine is not equipped to fight another all-out war, given its demographic and economic limitations. The ambassador’s words serve as a reminder that the country should not entertain unrealistic expectations about regaining lost territory.
**Destroying Russia’s Military Might**
To win the war, Zaluzhnyi suggests that Ukraine must focus on destroying Russia’s military and economic potential to wage it. This approach involves targeting Moscow’s ability to maintain its war machine, rather than attempting to retake occupied territories through conventional means. In essence, Ukraine needs to cripple Russia’s capacity to fight a prolonged conflict.
**A Shift in Rhetoric**
The ambassador’s comments reflect a shift in Kyiv’s rhetoric following the failed 2023 counteroffensive and changes in US foreign policy this year. President Volodymyr Zelensky has since adjusted his stance, stating that Russia must pull back its troops to at least the pre-2022 front line. However, this revised goal still falls short of Ukraine’s original objective of restoring its 1991 borders.
**Crimea and Beyond**
The liberation of Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014, remains a central concern for Ukraine’s leadership. The country has consistently vowed to restore its pre-1991 borders, including the Donbas region occupied by Russian forces since 2014. While Zaluzhnyi’s comments provide a realistic assessment of Ukraine’s military capabilities, they also highlight the need for creative strategies to achieve meaningful progress on the battlefield.
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