Fear of escalation with Putin plagues U.S. leadership, experts told ABC News.
Ukrainian soldiers prepare to fire 120mm mortar towards Russian position on the front line at undisclosed location in Donetsk region, Ukraine, June 4, 2024.Last week, Biden gave limited permission for Ukrainian forces to fire back at Russians attacking Kharkiv from just across the border with United States' weapons, but the administration has been emphatic that it still opposes strikes on key military targets elsewhere on Russian territory.
As opposed to ethics, law or sound military strategy, the restrictive American policy for Ukraine is based on fear, according to Hodges and other experts on the region."I believe it is actually just fear of escalation," George Barros, leader of the Institute for the Study of War's Russia team, told ABC News on Friday.
Hodges sees the Biden administration's hesitant, incremental approach to supporting Ukraine -- seen in the pattern of refusing to send advanced equipment like Patriot air-defense systems, Bradley tanks and F-16 fighters before eventually relenting -- as a symptom of its failure to conceive and express a clear strategic vision for its support of Ukraine."It's all kind of wishy-washy, leaves all kinds of caveats," he said.
"One of the most decisive things that the administration can do, but that it really, earnestly, has not done, is unambiguously remove all the sanctuary space and allow the Ukrainians to conduct strikes in the deep and operational rears with all the U.S.-provided weapons," Barros said. "This is super, super important, because I actually do think that we are on the cusp of what could be a game changer for the Ukrainians and what they could do on the battlefield.
Despite the limits being imposed, military aid approved by the Biden administration has been significant, and it is doubtful Ukraine would have retained so much of its territory without it.
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