Both sides are struggling against the limits of their strength. Although Putin is already confident of victory, it will largely depend on the West whether the Kremlin chief is right.
The year of great expectations was 2023. The Ukrainian counter-offensive, launched at the beginning of summer, aimed to liberate the areas occupied by Russia in the south and open the way to Crimea. This was the optimistic scenario presented by Ukrainian representatives, also to guarantee more support from the West. At the end of the year, disillusionment prevails and the realization that the war will not be decided so quickly. 2024 will be a difficult year, especially for Ukraine. But the war may be getting closer to a decision.