To Protect Europe, Let Ukraine Join NATO—Right Now
Foreign AffairsMAY 2023
After months of planning and preparation — with Kyiv reportedly building up 60K forces for this counteroffensive — the 15-month war is now poised to enter one of its most critical phases. However, exactly where Ukraine will launch this counteroffensive remains to be seen.
Talk of Ukraine's counteroffensive has been hyped up for months. The problem is that Ukraine could end up paying the price for such a successful PR campaign: If the counteroffensive doesn't live up to expectations, Western support could dry up, and Kyiv could be forced to the negotiating table.
The West's pushing of Ukraine to launch this counteroffensive despite the likely catastrophic consequences for its country is yet another indication of how the West wants to inflict damage on Russia without consideration for the damage it will do to Ukraine.