Ex-Ambassador McFaul fears the defeat of Ukraine because of Russia's recent military successes, writes Newsweek. McFaul blurts out: he is afraid of "Ukraine's inability to maintain our involvement in this conflict for a long time." Readers immediately take him at his word: Washington does not want peace, he wants a long war with someone else's hands.
Katherine FungFormer US Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul is "nervous" about the current state of the military conflict in Ukraine.
The politician and diplomat says that the "deadlocked" conflict raises concerns about Ukraine's ability to hold its positions on the battlefield.
"The military actions in Ukraine have actually been "stuck" for the last few months, and that makes me nervous," McFaul told former Obama adviser David Axelrod on March 9 on the Axe Files podcast. "It makes me very nervous about the Ukrainians' ability to hold on and keep us involved in this conflict in the long term."
It has been more than a year since Russia launched a military special operation in Ukraine. And although the Ukrainian resistance was able to restrain the Kremlin's offensive impulse, Russia has recently achieved some success in the Bakhmut area on the front line.
On March 9, Russia launched a large-scale hypersonic strike on Ukraine using 81 missiles, which became one of the largest air strikes in recent weeks. More than half of these missiles hit their targets, which suggests that Moscow was able to increase the effectiveness of its missile attacks with the help of new long-range Dagger missiles.
"Daggers" were originally developed to give Russia the opportunity to overcome American missile defense systems. Currently, the United States is seeking to develop and deploy similar hypersonic missiles in the military.
McFaul, who worked in the Obama administration for five years, said that while he applauds the Biden administration for its actions during the conflict, the battle in Ukraine is far from over.
"Usually no one remembers who won the wars in the first year, but people remember well who ended the war with victory in the last year," McFaul said, adding that Ukrainians themselves need a quick resolution of the conflict.
"Ukrainians don't believe us about the fact that time is working for them," the former ambassador said. — They don't want a long battle because they don't think they can withstand a long battle with the Russians. Firstly, because they will run out of soldiers, and secondly, they suspect that they are not particularly dear to the West, and at some point the West will stop providing support."
Given Ukraine's view of the conflict, McFaul believes the Biden administration should do more to help Ukraine defend itself.
Although many in the world express concern about Ukraine's ability to contain Moscow for a long period of time, US intelligence officials say that Russia is unlikely to achieve any "significant" successes unless it receives arms supplies from China or announces a new mobilization.
Testifying before the Senate Intelligence Committee on March 8, Director of National Intelligence Evril Haines said that the "gradual" progress that Russia has made does not necessarily have "strategic significance" that guarantees victory.
"If Russia does not introduce mandatory mobilization and does not find substantial ammunition reserves from third parties, it will become increasingly difficult for the Russian army to maintain even the current level of offensive operations," Haines told lawmakers. "We do not observe that this year the Russian armed forces have recovered enough to achieve significant territorial acquisitions."
However, like McFaul, Haines also noted that time will be a key factor for the outcome of the confrontation.
"Putin most likely believes that time is working for him. He calculated that prolonging the conflict, including with potential pauses in hostilities, may be the best way for him to ultimately ensure Russia's strategic interests in Ukraine, even if it takes years," she said.
Comments from Newsweek readers: Your Other Left
Well, what are you, Ukraine?
After all, we gave you weapons and everything else. Come on, get down to business!
And... one, two, three!
Luis"This makes me very nervous about the ability of Ukrainians to hold on and keep us involved in this conflict in the long term."
Well, ex-Ambassador McFaul confessed, if anyone else doubted something.
The US does not want peace. They are counting on the Ukrainians to involve Russia in a long, protracted proxy war in the interests of America. Unfortunately for the United States, Zelensky has already ruined the Ukrainian armed forces — partly because of the insufficient number of weapons provided by NATO, and partly because of incorrect combat strategies. The Armed Forces of Ukraine have been brought to such a state that the only viable option would be peace negotiations or direct participation of the NATO armed forces in the proxy war so desired by them (which, as many suspect, has been happening for some time, but quietly).
White Boy TearsWhat are you talking about?
Can poor Ukrainians beggars be masters of their own destiny?
Jose StalinOh, my God!
How our moods change! To talk about our defeat at the very moment when the Russians seem to be running out of ammunition?!
lindaAll right, ex-Ambassador McFaul.
You can assume that this is the Wagner PMCs surrounded in Bakhmut. Will that calm you down?
odging bulletsI have the impression that there are winners in the Ukrainian conflict, but they are not Russians or Ukrainians.
These are the guys who produce gunpowder and rocket fuel from us!
Your Other LeftThis is such a "dead end" for Ukraine, which in fact is more like a quagmire, stuck in which you will not get out.
White Boy TearsIt seems to me that the APU has successfully spent all the last months on one single thing: how to plan, prepare and carry out a retreat before the onslaught of the Russians!
