Many arms wishes remain unfulfilled: Doesn’t the US want Ukraine to win?

The United States approved the delivery of controversial cluster munitions on Friday. But other wishes of Ukraine remain unfulfilled.

No missiles, no fighter jets

The Biden administration does not allow the export of the F-16 fighter jets and does not plan to send ATACMS missiles, which Ukraine has repeatedly requested, to the war zone in the near future. Even the long-promised Abrams tanks have not yet arrived on the battlefield. The US – which was one of the first countries to send arms to Ukraine and remains the country’s biggest supporter – lags behind in arms sales.

USA brake mount

But why the reluctance? Portuguese politician and scientist Bruno Maçães puts forward the thesis on Twitter: Maybe the US doesn’t want Russia crushed in the war. Specifically: “Everyone whose opinion I respect thinks the US doesn’t want Ukraine to win the war. It’s a disturbing conclusion, but one that’s hard to avoid.”

Former NATO official Edward Hunter Christie and German political scientist Carlo Masala, among others, agree with Maçães. “The United States slams on the brakes because it fears Russia’s collapse if Ukraine wins,” Masala suspects. Because the more powerful weapons Ukraine has at its disposal, the more likely it is that a clear Ukrainian victory will be achieved on the battlefield.

What will happen to Russia?

What will happen to Russia if the country loses the war is completely open. It was already clear at the Wagner uprising at the end of June: the “Putin system” was crumbling. Indeed, the combination of a failed war abroad and a fragile system at home increases the risk of implosion for the Russian power elite by the day. And that would have unpredictable consequences for the world.

The question is also how Putin reacts when his back is against the wall. It is hard to imagine that the war Russia is currently waging could get any worse. But fears remain that in the face of defeat, Putin will allow himself to be swept away to take radical measures.

Ukraine needs more support

For the Russian elite has repeatedly made it clear: if Ukraine attacks Russian territory with Western weapons, the Russian government reserves the right to escalate in any form.