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Kiev’s failures make West doubt use of further aid – BBC Ukrainians nervous about consequences of US election – BBC
(about 16 hours later)
Ukraine is unlikely to defeat Russia, the UK state broadcaster has said The British state broadcaster has reported from Kiev-held territory near the frontlines
Ukraine’s inability to defeat Russia on the battlefield has fueled debate in the US about the point of sending more money to Kiev, according to British state broadcaster the BBC. Ahead of next week’s US presidential election, Ukrainians are increasingly anxious about its impact on American military and financial aid, according to British state broadcaster BBC.
The conflict is “increasingly going Russia’s way” and the realization of Ukraine's stated territorial objectives is “looking less and less likely,” according to an article by the broadcaster's correspondent in the country.
In a report from the city of Zaporozhye and the nearby front line about opinions on the US presidential election,Ukrainian troops told the BBC's correspondent they hoped that whoever wins would continue militarily supporting Kiev’. Many experts have warned that stakes are high for KIev as US support has played a critical role in Ukraine’s fight with Russia, and the future of that assistance is uncertain after President Joe Biden leaves office.
“We’ll fight with what we have, but everyone knows Ukraine can’t do it on its own,” said one soldier, identified only as Andrey.
Kiev’s 2023 offensive resulted in “little to no progress” and the country has since “switched to survival,” the broadcaster said. “It’s this lack of battlefield progress that has made the merits of supporting Ukrainian troops like [Andrey] increasingly up for debate across the Atlantic.” Reporting from Ukrainian-occupied land in and around Zaporozhye, a Russian city near the frontlines, the BBC described both soldier and civilian concerns over the upcoming  vote. Some Ukrainians openly favor Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, its correspondent claimed, because they believe she will continue to provide robust support if she wins.
Some of the civilians the BBC spoke with in Pokrovsk (also known as Krasnoarmeysk), a city in the Donetsk People’s Republic under Ukrainian control, said that Kiev made a mistake by not negotiating in the first months of the conflict. Others are cautiously optimistic about former President Donald Trump, who has pledged to negotiate an end to the conflict but has also indicated Ukraine may need to cede some land it claims for peace. In Zaporozhye, a shopkeeper named Inna emphasized her hopes for American support, saying, “We want to defeat the enemy,” while acknowledging the uncertainty surrounding the future.
According to the British outlet, Ukraine called off the talks after “evidence of alleged Russian war crimes.” Multiple officials in Kiev have admitted, however, that the talks were scuttled at the insistence of Boris Johnson, the British prime minister at the time, who told the Ukrainians the West was not willing to make peace with Russia. BBC’s report underscores the bleak battlefield reality Ukraine currently faces. The state controlled network observed that, after a largely stagnant counteroffensive in 2023, Ukraine’s priorities have shifted toward basic survival, with Russian attacks intensifying in the south and east.
Former US president and current Republican candidate, Donald Trump, has promised to quickly end the conflict by negotiating with Moscow. His running mate, Senator J.D. Vance, has opposed any more military aid to Ukraine. Andrey, a Ukrainian soldier stationed near the front lines, told BBC, “If aid stops or slows, the burden will fall on the shoulders of the infantry…everyone knows Ukraine can’t do it on its own.”
Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democrats’ presidential nominee, has not articulated a specific policy on Ukraine. According to the BBC, she has “suggested” military aid would continue under her administration. Should Republicans get a majority in Congress, however, approving additional funds for Kiev would become increasingly difficult. So far, the US has approved over $180 billion in aid, of which around $64 billion has been for weapons, equipment, and ammunition. On the front lines and at home, many Ukrainians remain divided on how best to achieve peace, with some civilians around Pokrovsk expressing regret that negotiations were halted in the early months of the conflict. “Death is not worth territory,” said one resident, suggesting Trump’s proposed negotiations could bring needed respite.
For many Ukrainians, however, the hope is for a true “friend of Ukraine” to win the U.S. election, as one civilian put it to BBC. But with diminishing battlefield progress and wavering Western support, the upcoming U.S. election has left Ukraine in a precarious position as the war grinds on, the state broadcaster concluded.
[A previous version of this report incorrectly attributed statements to the BBC, asserting that the UK state broadcaster stated Ukraine’s defeat is imminent and that Western support is dwindling. This was due to a production error.]