World leaders, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, visited Ukraine on Saturday, marking the second anniversary of the Russian invasion. However, the situation is “very tough” for kyiv, which is starting to run out of weapons and ammunition, underlines an expert.
“The challenge, in 2024 for Ukraine, is to defend itself. In 2023, it was not only about defending ourselves, but going back on the offensive to change the situation on the ground. However, it did not produce the expected results,” explains Dominique Arel, holder of the Chair of Ukrainian Studies at the University of Ottawa.
“It’s very hard at the moment for Ukraine,” he said, emphasizing the fatigue of the Ukrainian troops and the lack of recruits. The army of Russian President Vladimir Putin also appears more solid than a year ago, as evidenced by the recent takeover of the town of Avdiïvka, approximately 700 kilometers east of kyiv.
“The general assessment is that it seems very clear now that this war is going to be long,” explains Mr. Arel. In his opinion, it is unlikely that the conflict will end in 2024.
“31,000 Ukrainian soldiers” fallen in combat
On Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that so far “31,000 Ukrainian soldiers have died” in the conflict. “Not 300,000, not 150,000, as Putin and his circle of liars say,” he stressed.
“If we are strong, with weapons, we will not lose this war,” he said. Victory against Russia “depends on you”, he told his Western allies, from whom he expects ammunition.
The Ukrainian Minister of Defense, Roustem Oumerov, has also deplored the fact that half of the Western weapons promised to kyiv are delivered late. “Currently, commitment does not equate to delivery, 50% of [ces] commitments are not delivered on time,” he said.
Mr. Zelensky also said he was “sure” that the US Congress would eventually approve $60 billion in aid, which is currently blocked by Donald Trump’s Republican supporters in the House of Representatives.
In a press release, American President Joe Biden strongly denounced this situation. “The failure to support Ukraine at this critical moment will not be forgotten. Now is the time for us to be strong with Ukraine and united with our allies and partners. »
Surprise visit to Ukraine
On a surprise visit to kyiv, Justin Trudeau took part in a ceremony on Saturday to mark the second anniversary of the start of the Russian invasion, February 24, 2022.
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, the Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, and the Belgian Prime Minister, Alexander De Croo, were with him at Hostemel airport. One of the first and fiercest battles of the war took place there.
The Canadian Prime Minister also signed a bilateral security agreement with the Ukrainian president on Saturday. The deal includes some $320 million in new military spending, expected by the end of the year, as well as $2.4 billion in loans to Ukraine, which will be administered by the International Monetary Fund.
“This money will help repair roads after a bombing, pay the nurses and doctors who keep people healthy, and it will support the Ukrainians in their fight against Russia,” said Mr. Trudeau.
The latter praised the “ingenuity and tenacity” demonstrated by Ukrainian troops since the start of the war. “Putin cannot win. Ukraine will experience victory,” he said.
With The Canadian Press and Agence France-Presse