07-01-2023, 07:48 AM
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-...offensive/
I thought this was a very interesting article. Nothing surprising necessarily, but for the first time it seems we are hearing (through a leak, not directly) Ukraine not express maximalist goals of retaking Crimea. While Western officials have publicly been behind Ukraine when they have talked about reclaiming all seized territories including Crimea, I think most observers have presumed that a peace would involve Russia retaining Crimea.
Quote:Publicly, Ukrainian officials have expressed frustration with critics of the pace at which the counteroffensive has played out thus far. But in private, military planners in Kyiv have relayed to Burns and others bullish confidence in their aim to retake substantial territory by the fall; move artillery and missile systems near the boundary line of Russian-controlled Crimea; push further into eastern Ukraine; and then open negotiations with Moscow for the first time since peace talks broke down in March of last year, according to three people familiar with the planning.
I thought this was a very interesting article. Nothing surprising necessarily, but for the first time it seems we are hearing (through a leak, not directly) Ukraine not express maximalist goals of retaking Crimea. While Western officials have publicly been behind Ukraine when they have talked about reclaiming all seized territories including Crimea, I think most observers have presumed that a peace would involve Russia retaining Crimea.