Ukraine has struggled to contain Russian advances in several locations along the front lines, which stretch more than 600 kilometers. Russian forces continue to make incremental gains in the eastern region of Donbass, while Ukrainian units suffer from personnel shortages and are increasingly overstretched.
The Ukrainians’ only gains this year have been inside Russia, where they launched a surprise incursion into the Kursk region in August. But that incursion did not stop Russia’s steady advance into eastern Ukraine, where the army chief warned in November that his forces were facing “one of the most powerful Russian offensives” since the start of the war.
Moscow has also unleashed near-constant waves of long-range drone strikes on Ukrainian cities, including the capital, Kiev, in what appears to be a renewed effort to break the resolve of Ukrainian civilians.
During the Biden administration, the United States of America (US) provided tens of billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine in the form of weapons and budgetary assistance. But with the re-election of Donald Trump, Ukraine may soon have to adapt to a new scenario. Throughout his campaign, Trump cast strong doubts about the continued US commitment to Kiev.
