WTH Happened to Western Resolve In Ukraine? Yaroslav Trofimov on the Long War Ahead

Next month will mark a year since the 2022 Russian invasion of
Ukraine has continued. The Russian military has proven to be
disorganized and surprisingly inept, President Zelensky by
contrast has shown incredible resolve and organization, and the
West is by and large committed to a Ukrainian victory. So why is
that victory, nearly a year later, still so uncertain? The Biden
Administration continues to pursue correct policy, but far too
slowly – Washington’s “drip drip drip” approach to aid has left
Ukraine approaching something more akin to stalemate than
advancement as we reach mid-winter. A pervasive hesitancy to
provoke Putin is still holding the West hostage, and plays
directly to Russia’s advantage. We have passed the point of
immediate and swift defeat, and the war is unlikely to end
anytime soon and perhaps not even fully in Ukraine’s favor. Time
is not on Ukraine’s side, but the West is not prepared for that
reality.


Yaroslav Trofimov discusses his WSJ piece, The War in Ukraine
Will Be Long, Is the West Ready? Trofimov is the Chief Foreign
Affairs correspondent of the Wall Street Journal. He covered the
Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021 and has been working out
of Ukraine since January 2022. He previously served as Rome,
Middle East, and Singapore-based Asia correspondent, as bureau
chief in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and as Dubai-based columnist
on the greater Middle East. He is the author of two books, Faith
at War and Siege of Mecca.


Download the transcript here.