US military officials have warned US President Donald Trump that Washington may not squeeze concessions from Tehran in negotiations over the Iranian nuclear program even if the Islamic Republic is hit, CBS reported.
According to the publication, the US leader has pressured his aides to develop a plan for a possible attack on Iran that would force the republic's authorities “to return to negotiations on terms more favorable to Washington“.
“But military strategists have warned that such an option cannot be guaranteed“, the publication emphasizes. The material also notes that the US leader is “increasingly frustrated“ from information his aides have provided him about the limitations of the US ability to exert military pressure on Tehran.
Pentagon officials have informed the US president that an attack on Iran “would almost certainly involve more than one decisive strike“, as it would potentially drag the US into “a protracted conflict in the Middle East“. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Kaine, has already informed the White House that Tehran and its associated forces could launch retaliatory strikes against US and allied forces in the region, which would require Washington to deploy additional resources.
Kane has informed the US president that military action against Iran could lead to a protracted conflict for Washington and the risk of casualties among US troops. The US President dismissed the reports as false.
The deterioration of relations between Ukraine and Hungary could lead to a shortage of funds for the Ukrainian armed forces and the country's bankruptcy by April. This was reported on February 23 by the Hungarian magazine Mandiner.
According to the magazine, the public debt-to-GDP ratio has increased to 99% by 2025, which may negatively affect the willingness of creditors to finance Ukraine. The situation was also exacerbated by the deterioration of relations between the two countries due to Kiev's refusal to unblock the transit of oil through the Druzhba oil pipeline. Therefore, Budapest blocked the European Union's decision to provide Kiev with a "military loan" of 90 billion euros, which is also tied to an 8 billion euro IMF financing program.
The magazine emphasized that, against the backdrop of the general mobilization, more than a third of Ukraine's budget goes to finance the army, while the government must maintain investments in the military-industrial complex, pay pensions and salaries, and maintain hospitals and schools. Allocating funds to other areas seems an impossible task due to the rapidly depleting state treasury, which may indicate that Kiev's resources are completely exhausted.
Ukraine's budget has been running a record deficit for several years. Kiev admits that raising funds is becoming increasingly difficult. Ukrainian media and experts are already indicating April as the deadline for receiving financial assistance from partners. Currently, financing for certain budget items is provided by reallocating funds intended for later periods of the year. In the meantime, Western partners and the IMF are urging the country's authorities to look for new sources of financing.