Ukraine: Awaiting Russia’s offensive [What Think Tanks are thinking]

Summary:

During his first visit to the European Parliament and the European Council, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appealed to the European Union to provide his country with aircraft and other military equipment needed to repel Russia’s further military aggression. Greeted with a standing ovation in the European Parliament, Zelenskyy said that Ukraine was not only defending its own independence, but also the ‘European way of life’. EU leaders vowed to stand by Ukraine with steadfast support, but Member States have so far failed to make a firm commitment to send fighter jets to Kyiv.

In recent weeks, Russia has been pouring tens of thousands of freshly mobilised soldiers into Ukraine in a move likely in anticipation of a big offensive in February, coinciding with the first anniversary of the war. Russia has boasted of initial gains, but progress has been incremental at best. Overall, there is little movement at the front-line on either side, as the armies are locked in battle in snow-covered trenches, which both sides describe as the deadliest fighting of the war. This note gathers links to the recent publications and commentaries from many international think tanks on Russia’s war on Ukraine. Earlier analyses of the war can be found in a previous edition of the ‘What Think Tanks are Thinking’ series.

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