Doubling down on ‘victory’ over Russia will be bad for the war and for relations with the next US administration

A Tipping Point Has Been Reached In Ukraine

The question of who is responsible for causing the Ukraine war has been a deeply contentious issue since Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022.

Bloomberg’s hit piece against Andrey Yermak suggests that the US at the very least wants to reduce his influence over Zelensky, likely with a view towards facilitating the resumption of peace talks per the latest signals that were just sent by the Ukrainian leader, which his chief of staff fiercely opposes.

As Ukraine tries to recruit more men, some have gone abroad or into hiding.

The U.S. and Europe must wrap up their dangerous proxy war as soon as possible.

Perhaps the administration can’t admit it doesn’t have one.

What are the dangers of states using criminal groups for national defense? This article evaluates this question in the context of Ukraine’s response to the 2022 Russian invasion. It lays out what is currently known about Kyiv’s use of criminal groups as part of its defense efforts, specifically for intelligence-gathering and for bolstering military manpower. Wartime arrangements with criminal actors, however, could compound corruption concerns among citizens that undermine their trust in the state. Such arrangements might entrench a pre-war perception that criminal groups wield influence over state institutions. The state granting leniency to criminal actors in exchange for wartime support could also reduce already low confidence in Ukraine’s criminal justice system. While leveraging criminal groups may be necessary for defense purposes, Ukrainian authorities should remain cognizant of the trade-offs involved – some of which may not become evident until the post-war period.

All countries that are party to the convention should call for ending the transit and foreign stockpiling of cluster munitions.

Berlin signed the ban on such weapons and is now being coy about the arms being stored and transferred from bases there.