After nearly 6 months of war in Ukraine, the gap between Western discourse on the war and reality is widening, and public anger over the Russian “invasion” is fading to be replaced by anxiety that is about to turn into a wave of panic due to the sudden and alarming repercussions of the war on energy and food prices and the cost of living.

This is what journalist Simon Tisdale sees in an article in the British newspaper "The Guardian", highlighting the inability of the West to achieve the goals it announced at the beginning of its intervention to support Ukraine against what he described as the Russian "invasion", and the repercussions that may lead to it. The seriousness of the war from the retreat of that support.

Tisdale says that the strategic goals that the West seeks to achieve in Ukraine were clear, and are represented in repelling the Russian invasion, restoring Ukraine's sovereignty over its lands, and achieving a victory for democracy over the "dark forces", as was clearly announced by US President Joe Biden during the Warsaw summit last March. It was endorsed by Britain and other European leaders.

But what is less clear is whether Western leaders really expect to achieve these goals, especially in light of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) refusal to participate directly in the war, which, in the author’s view, calls to ask a disturbing and troubling question about whether The Ukrainians should prepare for a stab in the back by the Allies next winter.

A brutal war of attrition

The conflict in Ukraine may turn into a protracted war of attrition (Reuters)

The article considers that the repercussions of the war on Western economies and the anxiety it raises in the Western public street and its impact on people's lives, are raising doubts about the West's ability to maintain its position, and raise questions such as: How long will the already shaky European unity endure before it Collapse if Russia turns off the gas tap on the continent in the end?

He also sees that Ukraine is now experiencing a brutal war of attrition that may last many years, as are its Western allies.

He blames this on the West's decision not to intervene directly in the war, which, in his opinion, lacks courage.

Despite generous aid and arms supplies that prevented Ukraine from suffering a major defeat, Biden's insistence on avoiding direct confrontation with Russia at all costs, to which former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and other European leaders agreed, means that Russia may not achieve a victory in Russia. Ultimately, but it is also unlikely that you will be defeated in this war.

In his article, Tisdale says that the Western consensus to avoid direct confrontation with Russia reinforces suspicions that Western leaders do not really believe in the possibility of achieving their goal of humiliating Russia, or do not wish to achieve it.

In the absence of the possibility of a pure military victory, the writer sees that the options available to Kyiv are all bad.

Despite its expected southern counterattack, its staunch defense of Donetsk region and last week's bombings in Crimea, Ukraine faces a brutal war of attrition that could last many years.

Tisdale expects this to increase pressure for a ceasefire or an interim peace agreement to ease the suffering of European economies.

European split

He believes that the political climate in Europe is ripe to support this trend, as the right-wing populist parties in Italy and other European countries are preparing to take advantage of the economic crisis to advance their agenda, while Britain is preoccupied with its internal issues in the absence of a prime minister.

In Germany, opinion polls indicate that about 50% of the people support Ukraine ceding some territories to Russia in exchange for ending the war.

The writer concludes that the sharp division in the European street between those who seek "justice" for Ukraine and those who seek to establish "peace" is clearly visible throughout Europe and is tilted against the interests of Kyiv.