Washington

- Just as all American eyes were on Ukraine during 2022, Washington will not deviate from the Ukrainian issue during the new year, as the American capital concluded its year with a remarkable reception for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House and presented him with a precious "birthday gift" represented by Patriot systems and generous support. And a historic speech to Congress.

Al-Jazeera Net presents - in a question and answer - the future of the war, the possibilities of its expansion, and the American red lines in it.

Military training between the US and Polish armies, where Washington pledged to defend "every inch of NATO territory" (Getty Images)

What is the strategic position of the Biden administration on the Russian war on Ukraine during 2022?

Washington considered that standing with Ukraine was not only the right thing to do, it also served the highest American interests.

Before the war, Washington began imposing broad sanctions on Russia to deter it from "invading Ukrainian lands", but it failed.

Washington then pursued a three-pronged strategy based first on providing military, financial and intelligence support, secondly imposing sanctions on Russia, and thirdly increasing the US military presence in NATO countries close to Ukraine.

Indeed, Washington provided military aid amounting to about $20 billion in 2022, with a pledge of more than $30 billion more during the new year.

The Ukrainian army was supplied with advanced weapons, including Javelin anti-tank missiles, Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, powerful artillery and precision missile systems, radars, drones, Mi-17 helicopters and ammunition.

Washington has also strengthened the eastern wing of NATO with forces and capabilities from the United States, and about 70,000 American soldiers have been permanently stationed in Europe since the end of World War II. Within NATO's arrangements, Washington has deployed 9,000 additional soldiers since the start of the war.

Washington also welcomed Finland and Sweden's requests to join NATO.

Washington, in cooperation with its international partners, imposed unprecedented sanctions on most of the main vital Russian sectors, and on circles close to President Vladimir Putin.


What will be the position of the Republicans on the war and support for Ukraine during the year 2023, with their control of the majority of the House of Representatives?

It is likely that the House of Representatives, after the transition of the majority to the Republicans after the midterm elections, will exercise more scrutiny over the aid provided to Ukraine after Senator Kevin McCarthy stated that "the era of a blank check for Ukraine is over."

President Biden's administration will have to present more powerful arguments for continuing to provide financial and military aid during 2023, and linking the provision of this aid to the interests of the United States.

It is expected that the Republicans will also demand a vision of the end of the war, as support for any endless military operation will decline.

Although Ukraine enjoys bipartisan support, the presence of a large number of Republican representatives from the camp of former President Donald Trump will make noise around the idea of ​​continuing to refuse aid to Ukraine.

In contrast to the House Republicans, the party's leaders in the Senate suggest that Congress should continue to provide aid to Ukraine.


How does Washington see the course of war development in 2023?

Many experts state that 2023 will be a decisive year for the war, at a time when the quantity and quality of US weapons provided to Ukraine are increasing.

Also, the training of the Ukrainian military continues in full swing, at NATO bases in Poland, Romania and Germany, and the results of this will appear more with the passage of time.

Washington has announced its intention to supply Ukraine with Patriot missiles next year, which means an important change in supporting the defense capabilities of the Ukrainian side.

Washington hopes that there will be no rift in NATO's unconditional support for Ukraine, at a time when there are no signs that either side of the conflict is yet ready to lay down arms.

On the other hand, Biden expressed his no objection to meeting the Russian president if that leads to fighting time, while the US president reaffirmed that Washington supports the principle of "nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine", meaning that it will not impose any solution on the Ukrainians. Except what they accepted voluntarily.


Will Washington's red lines remain unchanged in the face of this war?

The Biden administration has declared that it does not seek a war between NATO and Russia, and as long as the United States or its allies are not attacked, it will not participate directly in this conflict, whether by sending American forces to fight in Ukraine or by attacking Russian forces.

Washington repeats that it will defend militarily from any attack on any "inch of NATO territory."

At the same time, Washington does not encourage Ukraine or enable it to strike targets inside Russia, nor does it want to prolong the war, but it has pledged that Russia will not win it, and that it will not recognize Russia's annexation of any Ukrainian lands.

During 2022, anxiety made its way to many US officials with the consequences of Russia's intention to use nuclear weapons after several signals came out from Moscow in this direction. However, the Pentagon and the intelligence services confirm the absence of any indications that Russia has the intention to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine.


How does Washington see the end of the war?

No one inside Washington knows how the war will end, with growing concern within the US administration about the absence of a specific path for negotiation.

Some experts fear that the Ukrainian war will turn into a "war without end" with which the percentage of Americans' support for Ukraine will gradually decrease, or that this will lead to a rift between the Western successors over continued support for Ukraine or stopping the boycott of Russia.

And US officials stress that in the end this war "will not be finally ended except through diplomacy."