A Russian comedy duo’s prank call to Giorgia Meloni resonated all over the world. Convinced that he was speaking to a senior African Union official, the prime minister spoke about Ukraine and said there was “a lot of fatigue” in Europe and that “we are approaching the moment when everyone will realize that we need a way forward.” “without conflict. Statements by the comedian duo, whether in jest or considering their potential pro-Russian interests, do not add much to what has been said in Brussels for some time. Even outside closed diplomatic rooms.
Counterattack
There are at least three reasons for the “fatigue”: the counter-offensive, the conflict in the Middle East, and the economic consequences of the war in Ukraine. As Meloni said in a phone conversation with the alleged African politician, Kiev’s counteroffensive “maybe not going as expected.” Most experts agree that 5 months after the start of the operation, Ukraine has not achieved the desired results and there are still a few weeks left before the winter cessation of hostilities. If the aim is to split Moscow’s defense system in the southeast of the country in two in order to break the land bridge connecting Russia to Crimea, through which Russian men and vehicles pass, then there is still a long way to go: according to the French newspaper Le MondeIn one hundred and fifty days, Kiev regained approximately 400 square kilometers of territory, while “the Russians still occupy slightly more than 17% of Ukraine, that is, more than 100 thousand square kilometers.”
If the aim was to weaken the Russian army both in terms of troop numbers and arsenal, it seems that despite significant human losses and high economic effort, Moscow’s ‘endurance’ is still sufficient to resist Kiev’s attacks. in occupied areas. Take ammunition, for example: Some estimates predict that Russian factories will deliver 2 million rounds of ammunition to the military stationed in Ukraine next year, not counting supplies from North Korea and other allies. The EU had promised to deliver 1 million rounds to Kiev by March 2024, but only 300,000 rounds have arrived so far: Not that there is a shortage of money, the problem is (apparently) the slow production of the European arms industry.
follow the money
But speaking of money, there is a serious funding shortage on the horizon: US President Joe Biden has not yet overcome Congress’s resistance to sending new aid to Ukraine. The outbreak of conflict between Israel and Hamas and the resulting destabilization of the entire region may further weaken the position of those in the United States who do not want to reduce support for Kiev. The latest proposal of the head of the White House is to allocate 106 billion dollars to both fronts, the Ukraine front and the Middle East front. According to some financial analysts, the proposal may receive the green light from Congress, but the share allocated to Kiev may be less (and not much less) than the $60 billion promised before the Hamas attack.
There are no positive signals from the EU either: Hungary and Slovakia are trying to block the European Commission’s request to increase their budget by 50 billion euros between now and 2027 in order to support Ukraine. It is certainly nothing new that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Bratislava’s new leader Robert Fico are sworn enemies of EU support for Kiev. The problem is that even pro-Ukrainian countries (but thrifty when it comes to public taxpayers’ money) have expressed more than one doubt about Brussels’ request.
Membership is slowing down
Similar talk about Ukraine’s hopes of joining the EU: any entry would create a tsunami of sorts in European budget balances; for example, Kiev will capture a significant portion of EU agricultural funds. It has already been seen in recent months that countries such as Poland, considered Kiev’s staunchest ally in the EU, are ready to give up their support in protecting their farmers. It is not a coincidence that the front of those who want to end Ukraine’s blockade in Brussels is wider than it was a few months ago.
That’s why the “fatigue” for the Kiev-Moscow war that Meloni told the fake African politician about now seems like an open secret. “Everyone understands that the conflict can continue for many years if we do not try to find a way out. The question is which solution is acceptable to both sides without causing new conflicts,” the Prime Minister said. said. These are words that most, if not all, of the leaders of the other 26 EU countries could say.
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Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
