A Ukrainian and American historian and a professor of Ukrainian history at Harvard University, Serhii Plokhy (Serhii Plokhii), stated that Ukraine’s victory is not just a return to the borders of 1991 but also the full integration of Ukraine into Western security and political structures – NATO and the European Union, as quoted by Babel, Ukrainian media.
“Excessive focus on borders is the wrong approach. Because returning to the borders of 1991 does not necessarily mean the war’s end; it can continue even in that scenario. In my view, victory is not just the survival of Ukraine as a state and nation but complete integration into Western security and political structures – NATO and the European Union,” Plokhy said.
There is tension among Western politicians regarding Ukraine, agrees the historian. “In 2022, Zelenskyy essentially communicated with civil society [of Western countries] through the heads of these politicians, exerting pressure in that way. Ultimately, it was effective. This strategy may have now run its course,” Plokhy believes.
However, the main issue regarding aid to Ukraine today is that the U.S. envisions “red lines” in Putin’s mind, Plokhy says. “The U.S. envisions ‘red lines’ in Putin’s mind, so they supply weapons with delays. Moreover, their focus is shifting now due to the war in Israel,” the historian noted.
At the same time, the war in Israel has become bad news for everyone, Plokhy continued. “It’s bad for Palestinians, Israelis, and Ukraine. Joe Biden took the position that there are two fronts in one war. Republicans in Congress don’t share this position; they want to divide aid between Israel and Ukraine. There isn’t much weaponry available. So, this is another line of contention,” the historian said.
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