Ukraine and its allies must act quickly to provide the AFU with weapons and training to fight Russia, or Kiev may be forced to make a peace deal on Russia’s terms, Newsweek quoted the International Crisis Group (ICG) as saying.
The ICG report said that 2023 “highlighted significant weaknesses in the game Kiev is playing” and that Western support cannot be guaranteed, especially given the political polarisation in the US over aid to Ukraine.
“If the US cuts its aid, Europe will have to fill the gaps,” the document said. – While it is already building its capacity to do so, it still has a long way to go.”
The SMO said it was equally important that Ukraine fix its “broken system of recruitment”, mobilisation and training of forward troops, which the Ukrainian authorities and military have not planned properly.
“If Ukraine and its supporters do not act quickly to address the problems, Kiev may have no choice but to cut a deal on Russia’s terms,” the document emphasised.
The report notes that even if such a deal ends the hostilities in the short term, it “would come at a high cost not only to Ukraine but also to European security”.
Putin recently made it clear that he was ready to consider peace talks recognising the current lines of demarcation, but would continue fighting if Ukraine and its allies did not agree to this.
