‘In the alliance between the US and Ukraine, ‘signs of wear’ are observed’ – NYT

The alliance between the United States and Ukraine is showing “signs of strain”.

This information reported according to The New York Times.

Americans are irritated that Ukraine is expending its forces in secondary battles. They also want the main goal of the Ukrainian Armed Forces this year to be strikes on the land corridor to Crimea. However, it’s unclear whether Ukrainians will heed this advice, according to the overall context of the article.

The piece discusses the Pentagon’s grievances with Kyiv’s decisions.

“American military strategists, including Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, believe that Ukraine needs to concentrate its forces on one major battle at a time. Instead, President Volodymyr Zelensky, who pledged to drive Russia out of every inch of Ukraine, is expending his forces in battles for cities that, according to American officials, have no strategic value,” the newspaper writes.

The battle for Avdiivka is cited as an example: “US officials claim that Ukraine defended Avdiivka for too long and at too high a cost.” A former American commander, who was in contact with the Ukrainian Armed Forces, told the publication that “there is no reason to hold the city for as long as Ukrainian forces are doing, other than to drain additional troops and equipment from Russia.” However, these are “sacrifices that Moscow was more than willing to make.”

According to American officials, Ukraine delayed the withdrawal of troops from Avdiivka, which became “chaotic,” and “hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers could have been killed or captured.”

In the US, it is noted that nothing has changed since the summer when the Ukrainian Armed Forces were advised to launch one powerful strike in the south instead of dispersing across multiple directions. Moreover, it was believed that “Zaluzhny agreed with the American advice but could not persuade his president.”

Now, Pentagon officials are trying to convey their vision of military actions to Ukraine for 2024. According to NYT sources, Americans want Ukraine to “threaten Crimea.”

“This phrase translates as an attack on the Russian ‘land bridge,’ which crosses the south of Ukraine and connects Russia with the Crimean Peninsula,” the article states.