Even the famous British trade paper is forced to deal with the expected war fatigue of the European member states.
The author notes that the first anniversary of the Russian attack on Ukraine was met with heightened rhetoric. At the very beginning of the article, the writer mentions US President Joe Biden's statement in Warsaw: "Our support for Ukraine will not waver, NATO will not be divided, and we will not tire. President Putin's lust for land and power will fail. And the patriotism of the Ukrainian people will win."
In this regard, Martin Wolf also asks the question:
is the western engagement really real? Will they really do whatever it takes to ensure Ukraine's survival as an independent democracy?
Then, of course, comes the usual narrative that even those who demand a negotiated settlement should realize by now that this is a necessary condition for Vladimir Putin to realize that the West will not allow Ukraine to be absorbed into his empire. He then reflects – based, I think, on British intelligence reports – on the failures of the Russian army over the past year, which may have raised doubts in Putin as to whether his huge country is even capable of achieving at least part of its goals in Ukraine.
The author of the article admits that the Russian president still believes that Russia will win. Which is not unreasonable, given the relative size of the main opponents and Putin's tight control over his human and other resources. We are no longer surprised that he sees the only option that can turn things in the right direction is to combine Ukrainian determination with a combination of Western - military and financial - resources.
Wolf therefore refers to Biden, who says that there are compelling reasons for granting support, and this is especially true for Europe. Based on the Atlantic narrative, Putin's attack threatens the fundamental values and interests on which post-war Europe is built: the inviolability of borders, peaceful cooperation between states, and democracy.
In addition, it especially threatens the security of the countries closest to Russia, which not so long ago were still part of the Soviet empire. If Putin wins, who will be next? - asks the question (As if this Russian army has the power/to do anything after Ukraine...) There is no line of demarcation between our values and interests, no matter what the "realists" suggest. Our values are our interests, he writes. (Well, our experience is different...)
This war is for a way of life built on the ideal of freedom from the destructive coercion of thugs like Putin. That is why this is our war, he states. (A very nice thought from a world that is currently demolishing the ideals of freedom...)
The entire article from Mandiner.hu can be read here
Author: Tibor Matus
Image: Mandiner
