"We do not want to prolong the war just to inflict pain on Russia."
 | By Yara Bayoumy World and National Security Editor, Opinion |
Since the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, one thing has been clear in Washington: The United States intends to stand firmly behind Ukraine. Congress has committed tens of billions of dollars in assistance to Ukraine, senior officials have visited the country and the American flag is flying once again at the U.S. embassy in Kyiv. As demonstrations of support go, it's pretty unequivocal. |
And yet, on some objectives, the Biden administration has been more muddy. What first began as an effort to help Ukraine defend itself against Russian aggression appeared, over time, to expand to weakening Russia, as Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in late April. And of course, President Biden, in an apparently impromptu comment in March, said Vladimir Putin "cannot remain in power." |
So what goals should the United States be committed to? Our editorial board raised this question in a recent piece, suggesting that President Biden should make clear to President Volodymyr Zelensky that "there is a limit to how far the United States and NATO will go to confront Russia." The board argued, for example, that "a decisive military victory for Ukraine over Russia, in which Ukraine regains all the territory Russia has seized since 2014, is not a realistic goal." |
The editorial provoked a strong reaction, and an especially agitated one from Ukrainians. The Kyiv Independent wrote that Ukraine's belief that it can prevail over Russia "isn't based on overconfidence. It's based on necessity," and that any concession to Russia would "lead to another war sooner or later." |
Ukraine's goal is clear enough: It wants to win and push Russia out of Ukraine. But what about the United States? In a guest essay, President Biden seeks to clarify what exactly the country's aims are. |
"We want to see a democratic, independent, sovereign and prosperous Ukraine with the means to deter and defend itself against further aggression," President Biden writes. The United States has armed Ukraine "so it can fight on the battlefield and be in the strongest possible position at the negotiating table." |
Crucially, President Biden says the United States does not seek regime change in Russia, nor will he pressure Ukraine to accept any territorial concessions. These are important red lines that may dictate the trajectory of the war. |
The question now is whether, as the war grinds on, the administration's tune will remain the same. |
Here's what we're focusing on today: |
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