Ukraine is still in “desperate need” of aid from the West in order to “thwart Russian state attacks” and regain lost territory in the ongoing war, an expert has said.
Pushan Dutt, professor of economics at INSEAD, said that the continuation of aid to Ukraine could significantly diminish the likelihood of a Russian summer offensive and potentially bring an end to the drawn out war.
Dutt expressed skepticism towards Russian officials’ assertions of a potential nuclear war and wider conflict with NATO.
He told Daily Express US: “I would discount much of what the Russian officials are saying. If they want less conflict, they can simply choose to end the war and return Ukrainian territory.”
Aid plays a critical role in Ukraine‘s war machine, whether in the form of money or weaponry, and Dutt stressed the need for more in order to prevent Russia taking more Ukrainian territory.
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He said: “The aid money is desperately needed to thwart Russian state attacks and prevent them from seizing more territory.
“The aid is a deterrence, and if the Russians perceive that the West will continue to support Ukraine into the future, they will be more willing to end this forever and pointless war. At the least, it would scale back its summer offensive.”
This comes as Ukraine says Russia is trying to break through its defenses in the northeastern Kharkiv region, resulting in the evacuation of 3,000 people.
Ukraine rushed reinforcements to Kharkiv region on Friday to hold off a Russian attempt to breach local defences, signalling a tactical switch in the war by Moscow.
Kharkiv’s regional governor, Oleh Syniehubov, said intense overnight shelling targeted the city of Vovchansk, using powerful guided aerial bombs, artillery, rockets, tanks and mortars, killed at least one civilian and wounded five others.
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Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine’s military had anticipated this latest attack and had calibrated its response, adding that there is now “a fierce battle in this direction.”
European Union nations have also recently reached a deal to provide Ukraine with up to €3 billion (£2.5 billion) a year in additional funds for arms and ammunitions coming from the profits raised from frozen Russian central bank assets.
Roughly 90 percent of the money could be spent on ammunition and other military equipment, and officials said a first installment could reach Kyiv in July.