According to TIME senior correspondent Simon Schuster, Ukraine really had a chance to defeat the Russian army in the first years of the war, but, they say, the plan of American leader Joe Biden never envisaged Ukraine's victory, but only its salvation from total defeat.
Points of attention
- The main goal was to ensure Ukraine's survival as a sovereign state and its aspiration for integration with the West.
- Biden also sought to maintain US unity with allies and avoid direct conflict between NATO and Russia.
- Only Biden's latest decisions have become the most painful for Russia.
What Biden's plan really was
According to Simon Schuster, after the Russian Federation's full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2024, Biden set three goals for his country.
However, what is important to understand is that there was no clause about Ukraine's victory among them.
The journalist drew attention to the fact that the traditional formulation of the Biden team, namely to support Ukraine "as long as necessary" was intentionally vague, without any specifics.
According to Eric Green, who worked on Biden's National Security Council, the White House "deliberately avoided" discussing territorial issues.
"In the White House's view, this would be beyond Ukraine's ability, even with significant Western assistance. It would not be a victory story. The more important goal was the survival of Ukraine as a sovereign democratic state, free to seek integration with the West," Shuster emphasized.
According to him, one of Biden's goals is precisely Ukraine's survival, not its victory.
What else did Biden aspire to?
Shuster also emphasized that the head of the White House tried to preserve the unity of the United States and other Western allies.
Another goal is to avoid direct conflict between NATO and Russia.
Despite Joe Biden achieving each of these goals, the "success" leaves little room for complacency.
There is too much suffering for Ukraine and too much uncertainty about what this will ultimately lead to.
The expert draws attention to the fact that only in the last months of his tenure did Joe Biden approve several decisions that became truly painful.
This is not only about permission to use American missiles to strike Russian territory, but also about tough sanctions against the Russian energy sector.
