With the defeat of the Ukrainian military **, the Russian army is gradually regaining the initiative on the battlefield. At a meeting with the laureate of the medal "Hero of Russia" in the Kremlin, Putin noted that Ukraine's military resources are being depleted day by day. He stressed that Ukraine is vulnerable in terms of both its military-industrial base and funding compared to Russia's self-sufficient military resources, and its situation on the battlefield will be more difficult if it loses external support.
Putin stressed that Russia has a well-developed defense industry that is able to independently produce all the military equipment and materials it needs. On the contrary, Ukraine is almost completely dependent on external assistance in this regard. Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev also said that the Russian defense industry has reached its highest level since the end of the Great Patriotic War, which provides solid logistical support for the Russian army.
Western military aid to Ukraine is decreasing, which further weakens the combat effectiveness of the Ukrainian army. Not only is it difficult for the Ukrainian army to launch an effective **, but it has even encountered significant challenges in fending off the offensive of the Russian army. This situation is not only stressful for Ukraine, but also anxious for Western countries that are determined not to allow Putin to win, and some countries have even shown a willingness to fight a decisive battle with Russia.
Despite this, the UK remains one of the most active countries in the West in supporting Ukraine. Recently, although the UK did not promise direct financial assistance, it decided to provide the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine with two** to assist Ukraine in mine detection and clearance in the Black Sea in order to restore sea export routes.
According to the analysis, the two minesweepers supplied by the United Kingdom may come from the ships of its navy that are in active service or decommissioned. This move goes some way to demonstrating that Britain is willing to make sacrifices to support Ukraine, even if its naval forces are already strained. After Germany and Japan pledged large sums of money to provide Ukraine with financial aid, the United Kingdom, as a major European country, also seems to feel the need to show support for Ukraine.
Although Western countries still have reservations about military aid to Ukraine, this does not mean that their support for Ukraine has weakened. For example, Germany's recent military aid to Ukraine, which includes 250 155-mm artillery shells and other supplies, shows that Western countries are still doing what they can to help. Western countries are clearly reluctant to see Ukraine fail, because they believe that it will be a blow to so-called "democratic values".
The Russian side has warned that the West's military provision to Ukraine will not change Ukraine's defeated fate, but may lead to an escalation of the situation and increase the risk of a full-scale war in Europe. Still, some Western countries don't seem to take such warnings to heart. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that Germany would reinforce Ukraine if its allies wavered.
Scholz pledged Germany's firm support for Ukraine and close cooperation with other allies to safeguard Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. This statement seems to imply that Germany may send troops directly to support Ukraine if it faces defeat due to reduced Western military aid. However, the current real military power of Germany is not optimistic, and the state of operation of its ** system is quite bad.
According to the report of the German Ministry of Defense, the Luftwaffe has 128 Typhoon fighters, but only a few are ready to take off for missions; Only some of the main missile frigates owned by the navy are ready to go to sea; In terms of the army, the "Leopard 2" main battle tank has a proper rate of only 47%, while the failure rate of the "Tiger" armed *** is as high as 83%.
In such cases, the rhetoric of Western politicians is often perceived as propaganda rather than real military commitments. For example, Scholz's remarks may have been more political than a real military plan of action. After all, even if Scholz is willing to risk a war with Russia, the German public is unlikely to support such an action.
In fact, whether it is Germany, the United Kingdom, or other Western countries, their recent support for Ukraine has been more of a rhetorical pledge than a real act. Their main purpose is not so much a genuine willingness to go to war with Russia for the sake of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, but more to encourage the Ukrainian army to continue to resist until its value is completely drained.
With the development of the military situation in Ukraine, the attitude of Western countries in providing assistance has also shown a complex and changeable trend. On the one hand, they expressed their support for Ukraine by providing military assistance and political support; On the other hand, as the conflict continues and their own resources are constrained, their actual support capacity appears increasingly limited.
Ukraine's military challenges are not limited to on-the-ground combat. The lack of an independent military-industrial base and autonomous financial resources makes Ukraine's ability to sustain itself in a protracted conflict even more vulnerable. Ukraine** has had to rely on external aid to sustain its military operations, but this aid is often short-term and volatile. Thus, Ukraine's military autonomy and long-term viability are seriously challenged.
In this case, Ukraine** is trying to ensure continued support through diplomatic channels. They constantly emphasize their strategic importance to Western countries and enlist more political and military support. However, these efforts are often constrained by political and economic factors within Western countries. While Western countries pay lip service to Ukraine, they tend to have reservations when it comes to actual assistance.
In addition, Ukraine is facing domestic challenges. Protracted conflicts not only deplete the country's resources, but also have a serious impact on people's lives. Ukraine** needs to find a balance between sustaining the war and safeguarding people's livelihoods. The achievement of this balance is essential for the long-term stability of Ukraine.
At the same time, continued military pressure from Russia has put Ukraine at a disadvantage. Russia not only has a relatively complete defense industry, but is also able to control the dynamics on the battlefield relatively well. This provides Russia with the ability to exert sustained pressure in the conflict, while Ukraine struggles to form an effective confrontation.
Against this background, the future of Ukraine is fraught with uncertainty. It has to face not only military challenges, but also political and economic dilemmas. Ukraine's strategic choices will largely determine the future direction of the country. At the same time, the attitudes and actions of the international community will also have an important impact on the future of Ukraine.
Overall, the development and outcome of the conflict in Ukraine will be the result of a combination of factors. In this complex geopolitical game, the decisions of Ukraine, Russia, and other countries will collectively shape the future of the region. And for Ukraine, finding a path that can both guarantee and safeguard the well-being of the people is undoubtedly the biggest challenge it faces.