Zelenskyy’s plea for more American aid to ‘speed up victory’ in unwinnable war

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has done it again. During President Putin’s historic visit to Washington amidst the ferocious war Russia has waged against his country, the Ukrainian leader delivered another outstanding performance, pledging “our victory” over tyrannical Russia. He appealed for more security assistance from Washington to “accelerate.”

A shrewd politician and former actor, Zelensky did what he thought he had to do to convince Americans to keep their hearts and wallets open. His country is devastated and thousands of his people are dead due to the relentless Russian attacks. And Zelensky believes the additional billions of dollars of taxpayers will help deport the Russians and secure their victory. We believe that using the right tools is justified.

This time, however, we took a toned-down and tweaked approach. There are no images of a maternity hospital blown up by a Russian missile attack or a moving video containing graphic footage of dead or injured women and children, like the one I saw during his virtual appearance before parliament in March. was. There is no weeping interpreter to translate Zelensky’s graphic depictions of the deaths of children and the elderly. No lecture.

Ukrainian Zelensky remembers Winston Churchill in 1941

Zelensky thanks Congress and the American people for their “invaluable support” and hopes that his “words of respect and gratitude will reach the hearts of America.” , used strong language and a dark tone while reading his notes, often turning up to connect with his audience and sometimes placing his hand on his heart to express his gratitude. He regularly raised his voice and tapped the podium with his fist for emphasis. He wore his signature olive crew-neck military-his-style sweater, cargo-his pants, and chunky boots, while maintaining the image of a wartime president.

Zelensky emphasized the usual themes: that Ukraine is fighting for freedom and democracy, that his country is winning, that the US “fiscal Support is very important”. Zelensky also issued a mild warning: [the Russians] If we don’t stop now, we will attack your other allies. ”

Let’s look at these claims clinically. Ukraine remains one of the most corrupt places in the world, and on the scale of corruption she ranks 123rd out of 180 countries, slightly ahead of the legendary corrupt Russia at 139th. increase. Corruption is one of the reasons Ukraine has not qualified for her EU and NATO membership.

Zelensky appeals directly to Republican critics, arguing no country is safe if Ukraine is shaken

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy receives the U.S. flag from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during a congressional address at the Capitol on Dec. 21, 2022.
(Mundell Gunn/AFP via Getty Images)

Putin seeks to re-establish control over the post-Soviet state, which Moscow sees as its security perimeter and a version of the US’s Monroe Doctrine, although he has been criticized for including the former Soviet Baltic states. It has no plans for NATO countries. Claims by politicians in Washington and Kyiv that Russia would attack NATO member states would trigger a collective defense clause, but that is nonsense. The Russian armed forces have shown incredible tactical incompetence in this war, so much so that they struggle to secure a clear military victory against much smaller foes. even hostile? Putin is not suicidal.

Zelensky knows he wants a lot from Americans. And it won’t be the last time he pleads for help. US aid to Kyiv already exceeds his 50% of Ukraine’s 2021 GDP of $200.1 billion. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmykhor recently estimated the cost of rebuilding the country, even if the war were to end, at $750 billion. For many Americans, this calculation is beginning to seem exorbitant given the $31 trillion national debt. Perhaps this is why American support for indefinite aid to Ukraine has waned, with a recently released poll by the Chicago Council on International Affairs showing that nearly half (47%) of Americans believe that Washington is the capital of Kyiv. I believe it is necessary to urge the United States to settle down peacefully.

Finally, even the Pentagon recently admitted that it was clear to serious analysts from the start. This war cannot be won militarily. US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley admitted to reporters in November that “a victory for the Ukrainian military is unlikely to occur anytime soon.”

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We learned in Afghanistan that it doesn’t take long for even the Taliban, which have no regular army, to sustain a low-intensity conflict indefinitely. It took 20 years, American taxpayers lost $2.2 trillion and 6,000 lives. Putin’s army, though tactically inept, is still the top dog in the region, and as long as Russia continues to slowly dismantle Ukraine, Putin has achieved his ultimate goal. He is to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO. The definition of Russian victory is to deny Kyiv and Washington victory.

Sensitively aware of this conundrum, Zelensky and Washington politicians staged a highly dramatic political drama on Wednesday four days before Christmas to win the hearts and minds of Americans and convince them with their usual deceptive narrative. clouded the mind of Zelensky contrasted the current Ukrainian life with ours. He thanked all American families who “cherish the warmth of home.” He pointed out that Ukrainians celebrate Christmas and light candles not because it is “romantic”, but because “there is no electricity.”

President Joe Biden and Volodymyr Zelensky meet at the White House.
(President of Ukraine/Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

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Churchill, a charismatic Ukrainian in a T-shirt, refers to former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, presents him with the Ukrainian flag he brought from the battlefield, and gives Nancy Pelosi a big kiss at the end of his speech. Before President Zelensky’s speech, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell declared that “providing support for the Ukrainians to defeat the Russians is a top priority.” The message delivered to Americans by the Washington establishment and Kyiv on Wednesday was clear – Ukraine’s priorities are the same as America’s.

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