by Luigi Ippolito
British intelligence sources: “Nothing we’ve seen so far has shown us that Putin means business.” And the Times of London editorial: “The West should not be charmed and give Ukraine the tools to finish the job”
FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT
LONDON British intelligence sources albeit on anonymity are clear: “We are very cautious,” they say of the RussiaUkraine peace talks, because “nothing we have seen so far has shown us that Putin and his colleagues are particularly serious : it’s more of a distraction to buy time ». A skepticism reflected in the words of British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace: “We were not born yesterday,” he commented, adding: “Russia must be judged by its actions, not its words, because there is a wide gap between the two”. And even US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken indicated that he saw nothing in the ongoing negotiations that would indicate “constructive progress”.
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In short, there is an AngloAmerican axis that almost seems to be rowing against the negotiations, which in fact sees less the end of the war as a strategic goal than the defeat of Russia on the field. Indeed, Boris Johnson has announced that London will be supplying “even deadlier” weapons to Kyiv, while Chief of Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin added that Britain is heading for a “new phase” in its military support to Ukraine.
The London government is convinced that the nature of Western support must change according to the new scenario, as Kiev forces have successfully counterattacked and forced the Russians to retreat: longrange missiles and heavy artillery are to be deployed to try, Putin’s armies too to evict the east of the country. And Johnson also wants the Americans to send more advanced antiship missiles and air defense systems. “We are considering all possible options,” said a Downing Street spokesman. The philosophy behind this approach was set out by The Times, which wrote in its editorial today that “the surest path to an acceptable solution is for Ukraine to triumph militarily over Russia: the West must not be seduced by Moscow’s talk of peace deals let, but to provide Kyiv with the tools to finish the work ».
In other words: war to the bitter end until victory.
However, it’s a line that Europeans, trying to keep a channel open to the Kremlin, certainly don’t agree with: And indeed, there are fears out of London that France and Germany could plead for an eventual release of pressure on Russia as sanctions are eased , not once Putin signals his desire not to further expand his territorial goals. It’s a divergence, within the western camp, that has been masked by unified statements, but which threatens to become clearer as the days go by. While Ukraine continues to bleed.
March 30, 2022 (Change March 30, 2022 | 12:28)
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