Ukraine needs to address the World

There is an obvious revival at the fronts. The russian enemy has brought its main reserves into action in the Lyman sector to break through Ukrainian defenses. Which is holding, although the situation is very difficult. Characteristically, the enemy does not have any strategic goals in this area. Most likely, his offensive is intended to draw Ukrainian forces away from other areas, in particular, from Berdiansk.

There, our troops have approached the first line of defense to the range of field artillery – 10-12 km – and the offensive involves the Armed Forces reserves from among those trained in NATO countries. This line opens up an operational space. But it has not yet been broken through, and fierce fighting continues with heavy losses on both sides.

In the south, near Kherson, there are positional battles, that is, a certain lull. But this lull resembles a compressed spring that can begin to unfold rapidly. A breakthrough of the enemy’s defense in the Berdiansk direction will certainly cause the Ukrainian army to intensify its offensive in the direction of Crimea.

In my opinion, the intensification of the Ukrainian offensive was largely influenced by the position of our allies, primarily the United States.

Regular contacts between high-ranking US and Russian officials are no secret. On the one hand, such contacts are positive, as they reduce the likelihood of the under-empire using tactical nuclear weapons. On the other hand, as a result of such contacts, the topic of Ukraine’s negotiations with the non-empire constantly comes up.

I often mention the topic of negotiations not because I like it. Quite the contrary. But we need to know that we and the civilized world have a diametrically opposite attitude to negotiations to end hostilities. They perceive war as a continuation of international politics and economics by other means. For the modern West, war is meaningless because it means losses. Accordingly, they fought and sat down to negotiate at the first opportunity.

But the war of annihilation, which was unleashed against Ukraine by a sub-empire, is not understood in the West. By the way, the same as in the case of the confrontation between Israel and Arab extremists who deny Israel’s very right to exist.

According to my information, the position of the United States, generally supported by the United Kingdom (the rest of us have known everything for a long time), is as follows: “If you can attack, launch a decisive offensive. If you can’t, start negotiating.” Absolutely pragmatic, without any existential fog. 

Perhaps it is this position of the main allies that caused President Zelensky’s well-known sarcasm, as well as the resonant interview with Chief of Staff Zaluzhnyi, who said that the Armed Forces would fight to victory with NATO weapons, Ukrainian weapons, or trophy weapons.

The situation on all fronts and, in fact, the success of the massive offensive of the Ukrainian Armed Forces will be determined within a week or two. But it is not enough to just wait and believe in the Armed Forces.

I am convinced that right now Ukraine should address (in various forms) all those who support it with an appeal. It should emphasize, in particular, the following:

1. Ukraine states that the aggressive, unprovoked war unleashed by the Russian Federation has changed its nature – it is now a war of attrition. But its goal remains unchanged – the destruction of Ukraine as a democratic, independent state on its way to the European community.

 2. Ukraine honestly and responsibly recognizes that we have significant problems on our democratic path, in particular, corruption, certain infringements of freedom of speech and religion, which are related to repulsing enemy aggression. We realize that without overcoming these problems, the existence of a democratic Ukraine is impossible, and we are ready to do so. But fighting the problems is meaningless without winning the war, because Ukraine under the control of the Kremlin will never be democratic, legal, or economically viable.

 3. Ukraine appeals to all allied countries to immediately launch joint production of weapons, equipment, critical infrastructure, and everything necessary for victory. Such integration into the global economic processes will guarantee not only the liberation of the occupied territories of Ukraine, but also the steady movement along the democratic path and overcoming the problems that still exist in our social and political life.

The situation when we are only asking for help – with weapons and money – has already exhausted itself and does not work. Now we need to become useful to the world and gradually, step by step, become self-sufficient. It is clear that it is not enough to confine ourselves to an appeal: we have to back up our words with real deeds, not just PR.

It is impossible to solve problems without honestly recognizing them. Yes, it is difficult. But this is our – Ukrainian – way.

Oleksandr Kochetkov

Ukraine Front Lines

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