#UKRAINERUSSIAWAR. Ukraine in the red, without US support Moscow will reach Kiev in 2026

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The number of Americans killed in combat in Ukraine has increased significantly over the past six months, CNN reports. More than 20 American fighters are missing on the Ukrainian front. The bodies of at least five people have not been found on the battlefield over the past six months. On Friday, January 31, Russia handed over two bodies to Ukraine.

That the situation is getting worse is also stated by Zelensky’s former press secretary, Yulia Mendel, in an article for Time magazine, “Ukraine Needs an Immediate Ceasefire.” Mendel, citing opinion poll data, says that 38 percent of Ukrainians are ready to make territorial concessions in exchange for peace. “At least 7.5 million Ukrainians have fled the country because of the war, of which more than 440,000 left the country last year alone, which is 3.3 times more than in 2023,” the article reads. “High-level ceasefire negotiations are underway from Washington to Brussels,” Mendel said.

Ukraine is also broke; in 2024, according to the Ukrainian Ministry of Finance, Ukraine’s debt to the World Bank Group increased by 65% ​​to $22.6 billion. One day of war in 2024 cost Ukraine about UAH 5.7 billion, BBC replied. In total, defense spending from the state budget fund amounted to nearly UAH 2.1 trillion last year. In 2025, Kiev plans to spend another UAH 2.2 trillion on defense. The total amount of funding from international partners in the period 2022-2024 amounts to $115 billion.

In recent days, Sweden has come to Kiev’s aid, announcing on January 30 the largest aid package to date for Ukraine, worth $1.2 billion. Finnish President Alexander Stubb admitted that after a conversation with Volodymyr Zelensky last week, his optimism has increased. Stubb noted Trump’s method of issuing an ultimatum and forcing Putin into peace talks. According to Stubb, Putin should be forced to negotiate, not persuaded to do so. “I personally think that Putin only understands tough rhetoric and this is the language Donald Trump is using to address him now,” the Finnish president said.

The Hill disagreed, writing: “Russia will be able to capture Kiev and Lviv in 2026, provided that the United States stops aid to Ukraine.” “Without U.S. support, Russia will advance in 2025 while Kiev runs out of weapons. By 2026, Ukraine will lose effective air defense, allowing Russia to conduct continued large-scale bombing. Ukraine’s general forces will continue to fight bravely, but will likely collapse by the end of the year, allowing Russia to capture Kiev and then advance to the NATO border.”

Graziella Giangiulio 

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