2023-05-16 12:48:00
Zelensky visits Lee, Germany, France and Britain one following another ahead of a counterattack
Concerns that Trump’s election will change US policy
Politico: “U.S. Ukraine support budget will be exhausted soon”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (right), on a surprise visit to the UK, meets with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in the countryside outside London on the 15th (local time). UPI Yonhap News
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky waged a breathless diplomatic battle, visiting four European countries in succession over the past two nights and three days ahead of a “counterattack” for territorial recovery. This is primarily to obtain military support from allies ahead of the grand counterattack postponed to the summer, but it is analyzed that it is a move to strengthen relations with European allies in preparation for a change in support from the United States, the largest ally, in the US presidential election next year. comes out
On the 13th (local time), President Zelensky visited Germany, France, and the United Kingdom, starting with Italy, and met with key figures such as heads of state and Pope Francis. Among them, the schedules in France and England were unannounced ‘surprise visits’. During this trip, he received billions of dollars in weapons support, including the largest military aid package from Germany worth 2.7 billion euros (approximately 3.94 trillion won), as well as light tanks, armored vehicles and unmanned aerial systems from France and Britain, respectively. paid President Zelensky tweeted following his visit to France, “With every visit (to an ally) Ukraine’s defense and offensive capabilities are getting stronger.”
The New York Times (NYT) reported on the 15th that President Zelensky’s wide-ranging diplomacy “reflects the perception that US aid to Ukraine is likely to be under pressure in the future.” The newspaper quoted Ukrainian and German officials as saying that President Zelensky is concerned regarding the situation in which President Joe Biden will not be able to lead the international community’s diplomatic support for Ukraine as the US presidential race is in full swing. If the Republicans win next year’s US presidential election, they are considering a situation in which US leadership among Western allies will effectively collapse.
The United States is Ukraine’s largest arms donor. Earlier this year, while Europe’s allies, including Germany, were engaged in a fierce battle over tank support, they decided to support the Abrams, their main tank, and opened the way for heavy weapon support to Ukraine. Malcolm Chalmers, deputy director of the Royal Combined Services Institute, a British security think tank, said, “As the US presidential election approaches, there is a growing prospect that US promises will be shaken. It is leading to (President Zelensky’s) aspirations.”
According to Ukrainian and European officials, Zelensky expects Europe to play a leading role in the diplomatic arena regarding the upcoming war in Ukraine. He said that he is wary of countries that have maintained close ties with Russia, such as China and Brazil, leading or mediating the establishment of a ‘peace plan’. Ukraine has been adamantly opposed to peace negotiations that would end the war while Russia occupied part of its territory. President Zelensky met with Pope Francis, who said he would act as a “mediator” between the two countries, and virtually rejected the Vatican’s mediation proposal, saying, “Please stand with Ukraine,” because he is extremely wary of starting peace negotiations without territorial recovery. do.
The Guardian analyzed in its column on the 15th that shed light on the changing role of Germany, which announced the largest aid plan following the outbreak of war, that “discussions in Europe, especially Germany, have become very important to Ukraine.” The Guardian said, “Zelensky sees China and France showing off diplomacy that does not match Ukraine’s position, and he is well aware that public opinion ( once morest the war) in many countries is swaying.” The figure is coming into his field of vision.” It is said that former President Trump is concerned that his re-election success will change the US support stance.
President Zelensky said in a recent BBC interview that he hoped Ukraine would win this war before the US presidential election, saying, “Ukraine still has bipartisan support in the US Congress.” However, it is not a situation to be optimistic regarding. The New York Times reported that Republicans did not ask for additional financial aid for Ukraine following taking control of the House of Representatives. On the same day, Politico, an American political magazine, reported that most of the Ukrainian support budget approved by Congress at the end of last year was exhausted, and aid might be cut off this summer.
There are also voices calling for cuts in aid to Ukraine, led by hard-liners in the Republican Party. The Republican Party, which became the majority in the House of Representatives in the November 8 midterm elections last year, has repeatedly expressed its intention to put a brake on the support of the Biden government, saying that there is no support for the support of the Biden government in Ukraine. In February, a resolution was submitted to the House of Representatives, led by hard-line lawmakers, calling for an end to aid to Ukraine and a peace treaty.
The Guardian diagnosed that Germany’s role in Ukraine has become important in this situation. It is said that the view of the ruling Social Democratic Party of Germany, which prides itself on ‘reflection on the past’ and has been extremely reluctant to intervene in the war, has recently changed in the wake of the war in Ukraine. The newspaper said, “President Zelensky is well aware that there are only six to eight months left for a counteroffensive to drive Russia out of Ukrainian territory.” I foresaw that it might be difficult.
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