Putin is intensifying his efforts to take advantage of Western “contradictions” over continued support for Ukraine
Recent positions and events in the United States, Poland, and Slovakia, as well as statements by the Mexican president critical of the United States regarding Ukraine, have created a pessimistic atmosphere as to whether Western allies will commit to supporting Kiev in its war. Against Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin has intensified his efforts to capitalize on Western “contradictions” over continued support for Ukraine, as these developments have coincided with reports of the Russian president’s efforts to undermine Western unity and his plans to intensify propaganda and intelligence work. In addition to his attempt to open new avenues to influence Western public opinion in general and American opinion in particular, to undermine confidence in the possibility of continued support for Ukraine.
Although the “Western Front” is “cohesive” for Ukraine, it has shown more “cracks” than ever, while Kiev is trying to support its counteroffensive, dispel doubts about its capabilities, and root out corruption. The most important issues that threaten the trust in it.
Hardening approaches
Nearly 19 months after the war began, Republican lawmakers in Washington blocked an attempt to release a large amount of US aid to Ukraine, nine days after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Washington to ask for continued support. The situation indicates that the hardening of positions between the Republican wings is not a dispute or bid in the political game in Washington, contrary to what US President Joe Biden indicated when he called on Republicans on Sunday. He described their “games” in this matter.
While Republicans in Congress voted “no,” voters in Slovakia elected pro-Russian Prime Minister Robert Fico, who has promised not to send “a single bullet” of munitions to Ukraine and declared a willingness to cooperate with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. To resist further European support for Kiev.
Poland, once a reliable ally of Kiev, also made a shock announcement on September 20 that it would not send weapons. Mexican President Andres Obrador criticized US military aid to Ukraine, describing it as “irrational” and intensified his criticism of the war effort, urging Washington to devote more resources to helping Latin American countries instead.
European concern
Europe worries about what to expect from Washington. While most EU countries have agreed to support Ukraine, aid to Kiev is linked to a wider review of the EU’s long-term budget, on which no agreement has been reached. As all 27 EU countries must support the deal, it may be difficult to get it done before the end of the year, when current EU support for Ukraine ends.
However, these warning signs did not appear to have led to a profound change in policy in Washington or Brussels, with US President Joe Biden pledging to stand by Ukraine, despite the recent freezing of a new aid package. Most European leaders are strongly supporting Ukraine, with around 50 billion euros planned to be signed for the country in the coming months, and the EU said to be preparing to provide 25 billion euros in military aid. Diplomats on Monday.
Putin and Conspiracy Theories
Meanwhile, US officials say Russian President Vladimir Putin is trying to end US and European support for Ukraine, using his spy agencies to fuel propaganda and raise conspiracy theories in favor of pro-Russian political parties. Relying on some new technology, a US document has been revealed. Officially, US administration officials are very concerned about the corruption that is spreading in Ukraine.
According to the Politico newspaper, which obtained the text of the document, the document outlined a long-term plan that would include steps Washington would take to eliminate Kiev violations, reform a group in the country, and restore trust. It is. U.S. officials confirmed to the New York Times that Russia is frustrated that the U.S. and Europe are largely united in their continued military and economic support for Ukraine.
This military aid has helped Ukraine continue its fight against Russia, putting Russia’s original goals of controlling Kiev and Odessa beyond its borders, and halting its more modest goal of controlling the Donbass region of eastern Ukraine.
Support for Ukraine is weakening
But Putin hopes to influence U.S. policy to weaken support for Ukraine and restore his advantage on the battlefield, officials said. The Russian president appears to be closely following U.S. political discussions about continuing aid to Ukraine, officials said. According to officials, Moscow will try to use conspiracy theories and disinformation to support pro-Russian candidates in Europe, with the aim of cutting off international military aid to Kiev, as happened in Slovakia.
In addition to national elections, Russia may seek to influence next year’s European Parliament vote, officials said. A New York Times report said Russia has long used its intelligence services to influence democratic policies around the world. US intelligence agencies believe that Putin will be more interested in influencing the results of the 2024 US presidential election, Biden has repeatedly declared his support for Kiev, while Trump, on the other hand, has said that supporting Ukraine is not the main concern of the US.
Discredit NATO
According to US officials, Russia continues to conduct information operations aimed at discrediting the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and US policies, and is likely to intensify its efforts in the coming months. Beth Sanner, a former senior intelligence official, says artificial intelligence and other new technologies could change the way Russia conducts voter influence campaigns.
“Russia will not abandon disinformation campaigns,” he added. But we don’t know what it will look like. “We must assume that the Russians have become wiser.”
U.S. officials have indicated that if Russia cannot achieve its goals by spreading disinformation and conspiracy theories, it may take extreme measures, including providing additional funding to pro-Russian political parties in Europe or carrying out covert operations aimed at weakening them. Support for war in Europe Ukraine, some reports indicate Russia’s intention to create more tensions and conflicts and open new fronts in Europe and the rest of the world.
Anti-corruption
The concerns came alongside a US document on corruption in Ukraine, which urged Kiev not to postpone its efforts to fight it, warning that the bitterness “has begun to undermine the trust of the Ukrainian people and foreign leaders over time”. Borin.” The U.S.-backed plan includes many details about its goals in Ukraine, including privatizing banks, encouraging more schools to teach the English language, and urging its military to adopt NATO norms.
A U.S. official with knowledge of the matter said many behind-the-scenes negotiations are taking place, particularly over “illegal gains in Ukraine” that are of concern to U.S. officials and President Biden.
It was the clearest warning to date, urging the Ukrainian president to move forward with the reform process despite the war and battles his forces are waging against the Russian military. About a month ago, the US State Department issued a statement on the corruption issue, but it did not attract attention, especially since its tone was somewhat “moderate, mild”.
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