JRL NEWSWATCH: “The mood in wartime Ukraine: Weariness, resolve, and exasperation” – Atlantic Council
“… We asked about proposals … by some in the West who say the United States should press for a negotiation to ‘save’ Ukraine by ceding parts of the country to Russia in exchange for peace. Few Ukrainians expressed interest … point[ing] to … war crimes Ukrainians have suffered under Russian occupation … ask[ing] how they could abandon anyone to such a fate. Most also felt it would only lead to a short respite, after which a rejuvenated Russian military would resume hostilities. … While expressing gratitude for U.S. assistance, Ukrainian officials and others in Kyiv made clear their exasperation on three points. First, with NATO scheduled to hold a summit … in July … Ukrainians want a definite message on their acceptance into the Alliance … ideally an invitation … looking in particular to the United States …. Second, Congress’s failure to pass a supplemental assistance bill for Ukraine has caused a gap in the flow of American assistance … impact[ing] … the battlefield … reflected, among other things, in higher Ukrainian casualties. … Third, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan … left Ukrainians clearly unhappy with his request that Ukraine stop targeting oil refineries in Russia. … There are questions about the rationale … which reportedly had to do with the price of oil. Russia mainly exports crude oil, not refined oil products; it is therefore unclear how reducing Russia’s refinery capacity would affect crude exports. As one senior Ukrainian official put it, ‘stop telling us not to hit targets in Russia.’ …”