After 2 Months of War, America’s Goal Is Set: Beat Russia

Vladimir Putin only understands one language, that of force. And in order to get him to negotiate seriously, there is no other way than to make him suffer heavy military losses.

Tuesday, April 26, the 62nd day of the war in Ukraine, marked a step that could reshape the balance of world power. Thanks to U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s initiative, more than 40 countries met at Ramstein Air Base in Germany to speed up the delivery of military equipment to Ukraine.

Officially, it is a question of helping Ukraine defend its territory. In reality, it is about defeating Russia — a crushing defeat that could lead to a regime change in Moscow.

For this, Austin says he is “going to keep on moving heaven and earth.” There is no doubt that the United States will put these words into action, as it heads up a coalition larger than NATO that includes European countries, but also Qatar, Morocco and Israel. The sounds of boots on the ground were a sharp contrast to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ no doubt illusory trip to Moscow. He was the only one talking about humanitarian corridors at Putin’s large table.

A Conflict That Will Last Months, Maybe Years

The Ukraine Contact Group, the coalition of 40 countries, will meet every month in a different place. That gives a clue as to how long we should expect the conflict to last — months, maybe years.

After Feb. 24, the United States hesitated between moderate support for Ukraine, to help the country from falling too quickly, and the hard line of the White House hawks, which is to stop Putin outright in Ukraine. This strategy has won out, probably in light of the incredible and courageous Ukrainian resistance and Russia’s difficulties in gaining ground. The idea is that Putin only understands one language, that of force. And to get him to negotiate seriously, there is no other way than to make him suffer heavy military losses.

In fact, Russia, from here on out, has everything to lose in Ukraine, much more than its soldiers’ lives. It has dug itself into a hole all by itself. The fact remains that the Ukraine Contact Group’s goal to beat Russia is not without consequence. It signals a total, perhaps worldwide, war like the Kremlin is threatening.