Yuri Kobzar 16:48, 08.06.26 UNIAN
Visiting Ukraine, Western experts are surprised by how organized society remains in the fifth year of the war
A woman with a boy near an anti-tank hedgehog / photo UNIAN, Chekanova
Ukrainian society is exhausted by war and disappointed in the policies of the United States, once its main ally, but determined to continue the fight. This is what Robert Doar, president of the American Enterprise Institute, writes in an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal after a several-day trip to Ukraine.
In late May, Doar visited Odessa, where he participated in the Black Sea Security Forum with about a thousand participants from Europe and the United States. According to the author, despite the war, the city gives the impression of being alive and active. He describes a bustling seaport, restaurants, and cultural life.
According to Doar, during the event he repeatedly heard the thesis that Ukraine continues to fight, while Russia has already suffered a strategic defeat. At the same time, the author’s interlocutors expressed concern about the reduction in American support compared to previous years of the war. According to him, Germany, the Netherlands, Great Britain, Poland, as well as the Baltic countries and Finland are now playing an increasingly important role in helping Kyiv.
The author pays special attention to the assessments of the Ukrainian military. According to him, the interlocutors emphasized the role of the young officer corps of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which was able to quickly adapt to the conditions of war and implement new solutions on the battlefield.
At the same time, the Ukrainian military warns against excessive optimism.
“The Russian army has not surrendered, and it will not surrender until the leaders from Moscow allow it to,” one of the Ukrainian generals told the author of the article.
After the forum in Odessa, Doar drove to Kyiv. He notes that the road conditions were much better than he expected, and that the agricultural areas continue to thrive despite the war. He was particularly impressed by the large fields of corn, rapeseed, and sunflowers, which he says remain well-groomed and productive.
At the same time, the author acknowledges that the war has left a noticeable mark on the daily lives of Ukrainians. According to his observations, the older generation in Kyiv looks exhausted, security measures are present everywhere, and familiar everyday comforts can disappear at any moment.
At the same time, he drew attention to the desire of people to maintain a normal life. In particular, Doar describes an impromptu concert of a string quartet in the open air under the balcony of an apartment building on a rainy evening in the capital.
Separately, Doar touches on the prospects for ending the war. He believes that Ukrainians are ready for a cessation of hostilities, but they doubt both Russian guarantees and the promises of Western partners.
The American expert was most impressed by the sentiments of Ukrainians, who traditionally have a positive attitude towards the U.S.
According to him, they are grateful for the assistance provided, but at the same time they are disappointed with Washington’s policies under both the Joe Biden administration and the Donald Trump presidency.
Summing up his trip, the author emphasizes that what was most painful for him was precisely this feeling of disappointment among pro-American Ukrainians.
“For freedom-loving Ukrainians, this is the direct opposite of making America great again,” Doar concluded, thus rebuking Trump’s policies.
The war in Ukraine: the strategic dimension
As UNIAN reported, British MP Mike Martin believes that Ukraine is gradually turning the tide of the war thanks to its superiority in unmanned technologies and strikes on Russian economic and military infrastructure. This makes the prospect of a ceasefire more realistic.
At the same time, in his opinion, the weakening or even possible defeat of Russia poses serious risks for Europe, as it could cause instability within the Russian regime and unpredictable consequences for the nuclear state.
In addition, the expert warns that the cessation of hostilities will not mean the disbandment of the Russian army – hundreds of thousands of military personnel can be used by the Kremlin for new aggressive actions against other adversaries of Russia.
“what was most painful for him was precisely this feeling of disappointment among pro-American Ukrainians.”
I definitely agree with this. Its a terrible feeling. Its like when someone is injured in an accident and asks you for help but you answer, “sorry, I can’t get involved.”
“they are grateful for the assistance provided, but at the same time they are disappointed with Washington’s policies under both the Joe Biden administration and the Donald Trump presidency.”
Just as I’ve been saying for years. And this is another indication to avoid politics and blame when the good people of Ukraine do not care where the support comes from. Besides that, you can catch more bees with honey than vinegar.
Oil prices are up again. Putin is laughing his ass off, Trump can’t get anything right. Biden was demented, but way more reliable. Imagine that.
Trump’s administration has become a modern day manifestation of the Phil Ochs song, Outside a Small Circle of Friends, a song inspired by the 1964 murder of Kitty Genovese outside her home in New York City while all her neighbors ignored her screaming for help. At least Biden didn’t flat-out ignore Ukraine. In reality it’s actually worse: it’s as if Trump and his gang were actually cheering on Kitty’s attacker.
Excellent reference Duck.
Thanks! I think it’s important to note that what happened to Kitty Genovese hasn’t been forgotten, and likewise, the Trump administration’s indifference to Ukraine, a U.S. Ally fighting on the side of freedom, won’t be forgotten either.