Ukraine could be key political victory for Trump, - WP
U.S. President Donald Trump has the tools to influence Russia's war against Ukraine and can use this to his political advantage.
According to Censor.NET, this was stated by Farid Zakaria, a columnist for The Washington Post
Zakaria notes that Ukraine has been waging war for five years against a state with vastly greater resources—an economy roughly 12 times larger and a population four times larger. In his view, the very fact that Ukraine has survived is one of the greatest military achievements of our time.
A shift in the balance of power on the battlefield
According to Zakaria, Russia's key advantage lay not in the effectiveness of its army, but in its ability to offset losses through mass mobilization. Every month, Russia was able to recruit more than 30,000 new soldiers, which allowed it to maintain the intensity of combat operations.
However, according to him, this model has begun to break down: the Russian army’s losses are rising faster than the replenishment of trained personnel. In May, according to analysts’ estimates, Russian troops made almost no significant advances on the front lines and, in some places, even lost ground.
Ukraine's New Strategy
As noted, Ukraine is increasingly relying not on sheer numbers but on technological advantages—reconnaissance, mobility, and the use of unmanned systems. According to estimates, Ukrainian production could exceed 7 million drones this year, while the projected figure for the United States is significantly lower in the coming years.
It is also emphasized that strikes by Ukrainian drones deep into Russian territory are already affecting the Russian Federation’s internal security and forcing a reevaluation of approaches to the defense of strategic facilities.
The Role of the West and the United States
Zacharia also examines the potential role of the U.S. political leadership. In his view, the U.S. possesses leverage that Europe lacks: increasing military aid to Ukraine, expanding sanctions against Russian oil and the "shadow fleet," and accelerating arms deliveries to NATO allies.
At the same time, according to the analyst, this pressure could also lead to the emergence of a negotiation scenario that would allow Russia to withdraw from the war without further escalation.
A political paradox
Zakaria also points out that Trump’s potential role as a mediator seems paradoxical: his skeptical attitude toward Ukraine may, in the author’s view, even increase Russia’s confidence in any proposals he might make.
At the same time, it is emphasized that any potential agreement must provide for real security guarantees for Ukraine and the consolidation of its integration with the West.
The analyst concludes that both of the Kremlin’s key strategic bets—on Ukraine’s weakness and the West’s fatigue—have failed to materialize, which is what has created the current "window of opportunity."
