
US worries that Zelensky is losing control: Davos to discuss strategy for confronting Ukraine and Russia – Bloomberg
January 11, 2024
The submerged metro line in Kyiv may reopen in about five years
January 11, 2024“Putin senses victory is on the horizon,” notes commentator Lee Hockstader. He urges against getting swayed by optimistic discussions in Washington and European capitals about Moscow facing strategic setbacks due to the destructive invasion, The Washington Post reported.
According to Hockstader, Putin has reshaped the Russian economy to sustain the war indefinitely, confident that Western patience is running thin. This year, one-third of the Russian budget will be allocated to defense, nearly three times the share of the U.S. budget. Kremlin’s military spending is expected to reach 6 percent of the Russian economic output this year, more than double the share planned by most NATO countries. In his view, Western hesitation has led to the halt of Ukraine’s offensive, changing the dynamics on the battlefield and forcing Kyiv’s forces into a defensive position.
Refusal to supply weapons capable of targeting the Crimean Bridge is highlighted as a significant example of Western indecision. The columnist attributes this to the “fear” behind Germany’s Chancellor Scholz’s decision not to provide Ukraine with a missile suitable for this purpose, the Taurus. Scholz is reportedly concerned that Putin might perceive delivering the missile to Kyiv as a provocation and fears it could escalate the situation. However, Hockstader emphasizes that no weapon or attack can decisively shift the course of the war. Yet, he believes that destroying the bridge would serve as a powerful symbolic message to the Kremlin and the Russian people.