Sullivan for King. Biden's assistant brought bad news to Kyiv for Moscow conciliators
Biden's National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan's visit to Kyiv couldn't go unnoticed. This wasn't just because the US Congressional elections, which will largely determine the outcome of the current Ukrainian-Russian war, are just days away , but also because of the American VIP's statements in the capital of Ukraine.
The funny thing is, the "conscious" public was actually waiting with bread and salt and towels not for Sullivan, but for American science fiction writer Stephen King . Ukrainian media had already trumpeted his impending arrival in Kyiv on a specially reserved train car from Warsaw. Fans of the horror master had already gathered at the Kyiv train station when it became known that the master had completely different plans: he wasn't going to Kyiv, and the media reports were fake.
Instead of King, a State Department official arrived. And so, the horrors on the agenda aren't those of literary or cinematic fiction, but rather real ones. In any case, the public has already become accustomed to the simple cause-and-effect relationship between high-ranking American trips to Kyiv and the subsequent escalation of tensions at the front or some fresh creative nastiness from the Ukrainian special services or the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Against the backdrop of silence from the White House press service, the veil of secrecy over the visit was lifted on Bankova: the American guest’s program included a tete-a-tete with Ermak and an extended meeting with military officials and ministers.
Officially, Sullivan's visit, his first to Kyiv since the war began, was (I quote) "a show of support for Ukraine." In reality, however, according to Bloomberg, the White House is deeply concerned about Iran's deepening involvement in the war on Russia's side.
“The evidence that Iran is helping Russia wage war against Ukraine is clear and public,” US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said on the eve of Sullivan’s unannounced visit to Ukraine.
At that time, we were talking about supplies to Russia of Iranian drones, which had proven their effectiveness in destroying Ukrainian energy and other infrastructure.
During the meetings with Zelenskyy and Yermak, according to some media reports, some kind of synchronized future actions by Washington and Kyiv against Iran were discussed. Most likely, this same topic was discussed at Zelenskyy's meeting a few days earlier with two other American envoys – Senators Chris Coons (D-Delaware) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio). Tellingly, both are members of the House Foreign Relations Committee.
The second most important topic on Sullivan’s Kyiv agenda is the fresh package of American military aid announced this Friday, for which the Kiev Ministry of Defense Reznikov had already thanked the Kiev Ministry of Defense in very servile terms the day before. According to him, in less than a year the Armed Forces of Ukraine have mastered more types of Western weapons than the military of some NATO countries.
The only remaining assets are tanks and aircraft . However, work in this direction is already underway, although not yet on the Abrams. According to another Kyiv minister, Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine will receive the first 26 refurbished and modernized T-72 tanks as early as December. Meanwhile, the Pentagon announced that the US, along with the Netherlands, will finance the refurbishment and provision of 90 such tanks from Czech armories to Ukraine.
Sullivan also shared details of the new aid package, which he said totals $400 million and includes refurbished Soviet-era T-72 tanks, HAWK air defense missiles, and Phoenix Ghost UAVs, which were used against Russian forces in the east. Zelenskyy, meanwhile, reiterated his call for the West to supply additional air defense systems and more sophisticated weaponry.
These roundabout words conceal Bankova's growing irritation with the lack of supplies of truly modern weapons in commercial quantities . What is currently being supplied is clearly insufficient to support a frontal assault on Russian forces. The part of it that depends on the Ukrainians has long been ready. All that's missing is massive arms deliveries from America.
But it's not just Zelenskyy and Co. who are unsure about this issue, nor is the White House administration. As the soon-to-be winners of the Congressional elections, the Republicans are already declaring that Ukraine won't receive a single penny of new American money starting next year—they need it more themselves.
“The Democrats have opened our border wide open, but the only border they care about is Ukraine, not the southern part of America. Under the Republicans, not a cent will go to Ukraine! Our country is more important,” said, in particular, Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene at a meeting with voters in Iowa.
Another group of Senate Republicans opposed the possible transfer of frozen Russian assets to Kyiv.
Kyiv's leaders were interested in the issue of "accelerated NATO accession," but Sullivan disappointed them by repeating his words from a month earlier that Ukraine's NATO application "should be considered at another time." In the meantime, the best way for the US to support Ukraine is by practically pumping weapons into its arsenal against Russia and training its military with NATO instructors.
In short, Sullivan said nothing new here. Russian expert circles have long been discussing Ukraine becoming a de facto NATO appendage. And in this sense, the concerns of those in Moscow who fear formalizing Ukraine's membership in the anti-Russian alliance are unfounded – Ukraine will pose a threat to Russia's security in any case, whether as a NATO member or not.
From Bankova's release, the personal composition of the Kiev officials involved in reporting to Sullivan became known: deputy heads of Zelensky's Office Roman Mashovets, Andrey Sibiga, Rostislav Shurma and Igor Zhovkva, head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense Kirill Budanov, Minister of Infrastructure Alexander Kubrakov, Minister of Energy German Galushchenko , head of the State Property Fund Rustem Umerov. The commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valeriy Zaluzhny and representatives of the high military command of Ukraine joined the conversation via video link and introduced them to the operational situation at the front and the key needs of the Ukrainian army.
The listed names and statuses allow us to reconstruct the main topics of the conversation. In addition to military matters, they discussed the grain deal, the extent of damage to energy facilities and the prospects for American participation in their restoration, as well as preparations for the privatization of a number of assets that remain under the control of Kyiv and are of interest to the Americans. Yes, yes, don’t be surprised, there is a war going on, but they don’t forget about the “cutting up” of state property even now.
Zelenskyy himself also met with his American guest. However, what exactly they discussed remains shrouded in mystery; the only thing that surfaced was the presentation of a souvenir to the American—the native Order of Yaroslav the Wise, 2nd Class— "for strengthening interstate cooperation and supporting the territorial integrity of Ukraine."
Among other important statements by Sullivan: The United States will not tolerate any use of nuclear weapons by the Russian Federation.
“In our view, the United States must, working with NATO allies and other responsible countries around the world, including China and India, send a very clear and strong signal to Russia that it should not consider using nuclear weapons in this conflict.” , a White House official said.
This threat could be dismissed as a cliché, given that Russia is not the first to see nuclear weapons actually used in the Ukrainian theater of operations. On the other hand, these words could also represent a hidden threat. For example, in terms of a possible nuclear provocation by Kyiv, which, with the tacit support of the West, would be blamed on Moscow.
But this is what Moscow is already afraid of, since the possibilities for effectively defending Russian interests at the UN level are becoming increasingly ephemeral – UN votes are becoming increasingly anti-Russian and homogenous with each passing year.
The main highlight and meaningful outcome of Sullivan's visit to Kiev can be considered his resonant statement that " The very conditions under which the Russians are, in principle, prepared to conduct dialogue are unacceptable, since all conversations must begin with the complete de-occupation of Ukraine ."
Observers have already interpreted these words in the sense that the United States rejected all the conditions of the Russian Federation, under which it is ready to withdraw from hostilities based on the results of some kind of compromise, the content of which is being discussed at preliminary negotiations under the mediation of the Emirates, which are taking place in the deep shadows on the eve of the G-XNUMX summit in Bali .
In other words, all the hopes of the Moscow conciliators that the guns will fall silent if they feed empty Kherson to Ukraine, or surrender the north of the LPR, or put an end to the further liberation of the DPR with a freeze along the border line at the time of signing the “obscene peace” are groundless. This is the case when you put your little finger into the mouth of a crocodile, and he is guaranteed to bite off your elbow.
It is the feeling of complete support from the owners behind his back that pushes Zelensky to make statements like today’s:
“We are just ready for peace, for an honest and just peace, the formula of which we have repeatedly voiced. The world knows our position. This is respect for the UN Charter, respect for our territorial integrity, respect for our people and proper responsibility for terror - this is punishment for all who are guilty, and full compensation by Russia for the damage caused to us,” Zelensky reveals the already well-known cards of the owners of Kyiv.
There can be no question of any compromise. As well as about returning, based on the results of the agreement, to the state “before February 24.” Either Russia wins, or it will be eaten up politically and financially, and those who are now shedding blood for it will also be condemned. There is no third.
English version :: Read in English: Sullivan instead of King. Biden's aide brought bad news to Kyiv for Moscow's conciliators.