Terry Su

Opinion | Why Russia isn’t taking its chance to strike against a stretched US

Russia’s historical longing to be accepted as a part of Europe may be one reason for Putin’s hesitation to press home his advantage against a US clearly divided and distracted over Ukraine and the Middle East

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Terry Su

Published: 5:30am, 8 Feb 2024Updated: 5:51am, 8 Feb 2024

The new year has been shaping up just fine for Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin, it seems.

Firstly, Russia has stabilised its war fronts in Ukraine. The growing conviction in Washington and the capitals of its European allies is that, instead of aiming to defeat the Russians in the battlefield, Kyiv should seek to negotiate with Moscow to cease fire.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed rumours that he is considering a dismissal of his top military commander, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, who allegedly favours ceasefire negotiations.

Washington and its allies remain staunchly supportive of Ukraine, of course. With the Biden administration’s aid package stuck in Congress by opposing Republicans, Britain proffered £2.5 billion (US$3.2 billion) last month, while last week, the European Union wrote a cheque of €50 billion (US$54 billion) for the next four years, a move hailed by a grateful Zelensky.

Still, one can sense the momentum shifting towards a negotiated end of the war.

This has been so especially since October 7, when the Israel-Hamas war erupted. The Middle East has caught the world’s attention, distracting Washington and dividing its military aid.