Former NATO Ambassador and U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker highlighted the strategic impact of Ukraine's recent 30-kilometer advance into Russian territory, suggesting that this bold move is compelling Russia to reconsider its military priorities, potentially reshaping the conflict's trajectory.
Volker illuminated the strategic significance of Ukraine's recent incursion into Russian territory while speaking on Newsmax's "The Record With Greta Van Susteren," describing how this advance — marking the deepest Ukrainian penetration into Russia since the onset of Moscow's full-scale invasion in February 2022 — could force Russia into a difficult decision-making process.
Volker explained that Ukraine's offensive, which has seen its troops push up to 30 kilometers inside Russia, is designed to disrupt Russian military plans. "I think they're forcing the Russians to make some choices," Volker said, noting that Russia has been reluctant to divert forces from its operations in Ukraine to defend its own borders. However, recent reports indicate that this is precisely what is now happening, the BBC reported.
The ambassador emphasized that the Ukrainian strategy appears to be achieving its intended effect, compelling Russia to respond to a new threat on its own soil. "Ukraine was not making progress against these heavy Russian fortifications in eastern Ukraine, but they made very rapid progress in Russia itself. And that's now something that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin is going to have to grapple with," Volker noted.
Volker suggested that this strategic maneuver by Ukraine could alter the dynamics of the conflict.
Ukraine might gain a tactical advantage by stretching Russian resources thin and forcing them to redeploy troops from eastern Ukraine. "Ukrainians may try to keep the territory for a while. They're certainly adding reinforcements, and they're digging trenches and digging in," Volker explained. However, he also hinted that this territory could be used as a bargaining chip in future negotiations with Moscow. "But ultimately, I think they view this as something that they can trade to get Moscow to get out of Ukraine."
A senior Ukrainian official echoed this sentiment in comments to AFP, reported by the BBC, stating that the aim is "to stretch the positions of the enemy, to inflict maximum losses, and to destabilize the situation in Russia as they are unable to protect their own border."
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Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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