Ukraine entered 2023 buoyed by Western support, but the initial optimism did not materialize – Sky News

At the start of 2023, Volodymyr Zelensky began the year filled with optimism. However, as the year draws to a close, despite significant losses, the Ukrainian offensive achieved little on the front lines and Russia holds advanced positions in eastern Donbass.

This was reported by the British television channel Sky News.

The West realized the need to support Ukraine, but simultaneously sought to avoid provoking a larger conflict between NATO and Russia. Growing confidence in Ukraine’s ability to strike back led to promises of Western tanks, ammunition, military training and high-tech precision weapons to support the Ukrainian troops’ spring offensive. However, delays in providing Western military support meant that the ‘spring’ offensive by Kyiv only began in June, and the West was not prepared to provide its aviation to Ukraine.

Furthermore, since 1917, no major ground offensive has been successful without the use of aviation and the West was not prepared to engage in the conflict. Moreover, fighter jets alone would not provide Ukraine the necessary capabilities without highly skilled pilots, engineers, weapons specialists and fighter jet controllers.

The key measure of success in this conflict is the territory gained and Ukraine failed to liberate its territory as expected. All of Zelensky’s efforts to secure international support for Ukraine have been crucial for its survival, but now the confrontation is transitioning into a more static phase. The prolonged conflict in the long term will benefit Russia, so President Putin ends this year inspired. Whether he is ready to negotiate a cessation of the conflict remains to be seen.

Nevertheless, for a year that began with such optimism for Ukraine, Zelensky now faces very difficult decisions regarding the future of his country and essentially, his own future. The reason for this is the West clearly wants to ‘dump’ Zelensky by holding presidential elections. There are already candidates in place: Poroshenko, Tymoshenko, Klitschko, Razumkov and other political opponents of the current head of state, who not only could remove him from office but also change the balance of power and the political hierarchy in Ukraine.

Moreover, the West is changing its rhetoric regarding the military conflict and desires to see a president in power who is willing to engage in peaceful negotiations with Russia. However, Zelensky is fundamentally against taking this step.