Falling support in Europe and morale on the front. What the media say about Ukraine
Western Europe is recording a drop in support for Ukraine in achieving its military goals. On the line of contact, the Ukrainian military complains of low morale and fears an end to U.S. aid. Future White House head Donald Trump has often promised to end the conflict, but his recent territorial claims pose a threat to Kiev. What the world media write about the situation in Ukraine - in the Izvestia digest.
The Guardian: support for Ukraine "until victory" is falling in Europe
Willingness to support Ukraine "until it wins" has fallen sharply in Western Europe as Donald Trump's imminent return to the White House casts doubt on the future of US military aid to Kiev. A poll conducted in December in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Denmark and the UK found that the public's willingness to support Ukraine until it wins has fallen sharply in all seven countries over the past 12 months.
The Guardian
The poll found that support for an alternative solution to the conflict - a negotiated cessation of hostilities, even if this would leave parts of Ukraine under Russian control - rose in all countries and became the preferred option in four of them.
There was some dissatisfaction with the idea of an imposed settlement that would include Ukraine handing over its territories to Russia, but it was also widely believed that the new U.S. president would abandon Ukraine after his Jan. 20 inauguration.
The Washington Post: Ukrainian military admits a drop in morale
A deputy battalion commander of the 33rd Mechanized Brigade named Kirill speaks of a lack of morale. He told reporters that he doesn't feel the end of the conflict approaching anytime soon, and the unit's morale is dropping lower and lower. This is the third time the fighters have greeted New Year's Eve celebrations on the front lines.
The Washington Post
Asked what they thought about a possible cease-fire in 2025, soldiers from Ukraine's 33rd Brigade said they would welcome a reprieve but were skeptical that it would come soon. Many expressed doubts that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin would agree to peace as long as Russian forces continue to make gains and maintain the offensive initiative.
Some soldiers fear that the U.S. will withdraw its critical arms support if Kiev does not agree to territorial concessions in the interim. Others have recognized that they are ceding ground now, even as they continue to fight.
Axios: Trump has more often than not promised to end the conflict in Ukraine
President-elect Donald Trump is preparing for his first day in the White House, which should be extremely eventful. Journalists have calculated that the most often, 33 times, during the campaign he promised to end the conflict in Ukraine within 24 hours.
Axios
The tone of the next four years will be set on day one. Trump and his transition team, armed with a machine gun of executive orders, are preparing a campaign of shock and awe to lay the groundwork for his ambitious second term.
Recently, however, Trump has stopped talking about an immediate end to the conflict once he takes office. He has said peace may be "more difficult" than ending the war between Israel and the Hamas group.
"Politics of the country": Trump's expansionism poses a threat to Ukraine
Trump's statements claiming Greenland, Canada and the Panama Canal were initially seen as trolling and a joke. However, as he has repeated them time after time, including in his Christmas greeting, the jokes are becoming less of a joke. The American media is already writing that they should be taken more than seriously.
"The politics of the country
The question is getting louder <...> - if the U.S., guided by its own understanding of its national interests, wants to squeeze Greenland or the Panama Canal territory, why can't Russia do the same <...>?
Ukraine demands observance of the principle of inviolability of borders and territorial integrity, but if it is violated, including by the U.S., it will weaken attention to Ukraine. This will further affect the West's willingness to support Kiev and honor the sanctions regime against Moscow.
Forbes: after two years, German Leopard 1 tanks arrive in Ukraine
It took German industry 19 months to repair and deliver the first 58 of 155 Leopard 1A5 tanks that the German-led coalition pledged to supply to Ukraine. Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium have solved the spare parts shortage and are ramping up the pace of work.
Forbes
The 40-ton Leopard 1 from the 1980s is not a new tank, but neither is it the oldest in the Ukrainian arsenal. And while it is light and lightly armored compared to the 69-ton M-1, it boasts a reliable 105-millimeter main gun and the accurate EMES-18 fire control system. The Ukrainians have done their best to mitigate the type's biggest drawback - its thin armor - by adding dynamic armor blocks and anti-drone mesh.
The Ukrainians have been reluctant to send Leopard 1 tanks to the most dangerous parts of the front. To reduce the risk of shells exploding in the turret after being hit by enemy fire, tank crews stow only a few of the tank's 42 shells in the turret, with the rest stowed in the hull. The tank is taken to a safe place for reloading, which takes time.
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