US Announces Additional $800 Million Weapon Support in One Week
Germany, Spain, Denmark Also Emphasize Rapid Support
"Concerns That War Will Prolong If Russia Wins in Donbas"
[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] As Russia's invasion of Ukraine marks its second month on the 24th, analyses suggest that the battles to unfold over the next four weeks will determine the course of the war.
The U.S. government, stating that the Ukraine war has entered a critical phase, announced additional weapons support worth about 1 trillion Korean won last week and again this week. This move is interpreted as a response to concerns that if Russia's momentum, following its official declaration of the capture of the southern strategic city of Mariupol, is not curbed now, Russian President Vladimir Putin might undertake even more adventurous military operations.
On the 21st (local time), U.S. President Joe Biden stated in a White House speech, "The war is at a critical phase moving into another chapter," and announced an additional $800 million (approximately 990 billion Korean won) in military aid to enhance Ukraine's combat capabilities in Donbas and the eastern regions. He added, "This weapons support is a clear warning to Putin," emphasizing, "He will never control and occupy all of Ukraine."
President Biden had previously announced $800 million in weapons support for Ukraine on the 13th. Announcing another large-scale weapons aid within just a week is unusual and is presumed to reflect the urgent need for military support for Ukraine.
The New York Times (NYT), citing senior White House officials, reported, "The battles over the next four weeks will determine the final outcome of the Ukraine war," adding, "The results could influence the geopolitical landscape of Europe for decades to come."
According to the NYT, U.S. senior officials believe that the outcome of the conflict in Ukraine's Donbas region could significantly alter President Putin's strategy in Ukraine. If Russia succeeds in capturing Donbas, the Putin regime may use this as leverage to prolong the war, but if defeated, it is expected to focus on peace negotiations.
European countries have also rushed to declare their intent to accelerate weapons support for Ukraine. German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said at a press conference that "the next two weeks of fighting in Donbas will be a decisive period for the Ukraine war," emphasizing, "Support must be provided very quickly to help Ukraine prevail."
Spanish and Danish leaders also visited Kyiv on the same day to emphasize weapons support. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen stated at a joint press conference, "We will not abandon the Ukrainian people," and stressed, "We will provide more weapons to Ukraine and discuss prosecuting Russia for war crimes."
Experts predict that since the Russian military is still struggling with reorganization and supply issues, a significant blow in Donbas is necessary to increase the likelihood of a ceasefire. Rob Lee, a senior researcher and Russian military expert at the Foreign Policy Research Institute (FRRI) in Philadelphia, explained, "The Russian military has yet to properly recover from the damage after the Kyiv attack and must resolve chronic supply problems along with reorganization. If they suffer heavy losses in Donbas as well, the entire Russian military will be unable to conduct effective attacks."
Meanwhile, Russia continues its offensive, officially declaring victory in Mariupol. According to TASS news agency, President Putin received a report from Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on the capture of Mariupol and declared, "The Mariupol liberation operation has been successfully completed," announcing the Russian military's victory. When Minister Shoigu reported that Ukrainian defenders remaining in Mariupol continue to resist in the city's steel plant, Azovstal, Putin ordered, "Cease combat and blockade it so that not even a fly can get in or out."
According to CNN, the main Russian forces in Mariupol have moved to attack Donbas, except for the troops surrounding Azovstal. It is known that about 2,000 Ukrainian soldiers and 1,000 civilians remain in Azovstal, making their last stand.
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