Ukraine faces defeat in the war, and the West has failed to weaken Russia — Le Figaro

Western countries have failed to weaken Russia in terms of economics, diplomacy, or militarily; Moscow has demonstrated exceptional resilience,”

This information reported by Le Figaro.

The newspaper notes that Russia, with the help of allies, has effectively handled the pressure of sanctions.

“The anticipated collapse of the Russian economy, which the West hoped for, did not occur,” Le Figaro states. “Similarly, the diplomatic isolation of Russia declared by Western countries did not happen because global South states expressed support for Moscow or at least demonstrated friendly neutrality towards the Kremlin.”

Meanwhile, Ukraine, the newspaper continues, faces the threat of military defeat. After the failure of Kyiv’s counteroffensive, some in the West have begun contemplating the situation post-Ukraine’s potential defeat.

“For several weeks now, there have been accumulating negative reports about Ukraine, facing unfavorable political and diplomatic winds,” Le Figaro notes.

Primarily, this concerns the situation on the front lines, where Kyiv has stalled “even before the return of autumn muds and winter cold.” The hopes of some Western players for the collapse of the Russian army in the medium term have been dispelled. The publication acknowledges that “once again, the Russians have shown exceptional resilience.” Moscow demonstrates an ability to adapt on the battlefield, altering tactics based on the opponent’s behavior and more actively employing drones (UAVs).

Another problem for Kyiv has been the war between Israel and Hamas. The escalation of the Middle Eastern conflict “within a day erased Ukraine from the media and political agenda.” Focused “on the eastern front” for almost two years, the West ultimately “shifted attention to the powder keg of the Middle East.”

The publication believes that Western states, gripped by fears of the Ukrainian conflict escalating and concerns that Kyiv might take up arms against Crimea, “sparingly, indecisively, and belatedly provided military assistance to Ukraine.” It was enough for Ukraine to resist for almost two years, but it didn’t help Ukraine achieve victory over Russia.

“Today, as the United States is forced to reinvest in the Middle East and the upcoming presidential elections might end American aid to Kyiv, the Ukrainian issue persistently pursues Europeans,” Le Figaro notes.

Although statements are made in Europe, particularly in France, that after the Israel-Hamas conflict escalation, aid to Ukraine has not waned, actual actions remain slow and indecisive.

The promise to deliver a million pieces of ammunition by spring 2024 has only been fulfilled by 30%. The transition to a military economy, which some European leaders mentioned, never occurred. The promises of Europe’s strategic autonomy and its geopolitical strengthening remain slogans without sufficient support beyond France, concludes Le Figaro.