Ukrainian special forces and guerilla units strike deep inside Russian-occupied Crimea, hitting two airfields and a munitions depot, challenging Moscow’s control of the peninsula.
The Ukrainian armed forces meanwhile pressed ahead with a counteroffensive in the south aimed at retaking the Russian-occupied Kherson region.
And as fighting in the eastern Donbas region remains stalemated, Russian forces have suffered as many as 80,000 war casualties already more than the Soviet Union suffered in 10 years of fighting in Afghanistan.
This has all led many observers to conclude that Ukraine can not only survive this war, but it can win it – decisively. But what would winning look like? What would be necessary to achieve it? What would it mean for the future of European security? And, perhaps most importantly, are some Western policymakers harboring a fear of victory?
On The Power Vertical Podcast this week, host Brian Whitmore speaks with former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State David Kramer about the path to victory in Ukraine.
Show Notes:
The opening audio clips for the show this week came from a speech by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on August 18 (translations below):
“We can and should think only about how to win. To win on the battlefield, on the political front, in the information confrontation, in the economic plane, everywhere.
Let’s believe in ourselves, help each other, protect the interests of Ukraine and know that there will be peace.”
“He who fights and fights wisely wins. Eternal glory to all our warriors! Eternal memory to all those whose lives were taken away by the occupiers. Glory to Ukraine!”
The article in The Bulwark by Stephen Biegun, Eric Edelman, Daniel Fata, and David Kramer, “With Enough Help, Ukraine Can Win,” that was discussed in the episode can be found here.
The article in Foreign Policy by Maria Snegovaya and Brian Whitmore, “Vladimir Putin Often Backs Down,” that was discussed in the episode, can be found here.