Europe cannot fully replace the US in three key areas on which Ukraine's defense depends - early warning of ballistic missiles, missile defense and satellite communications. This is what The Economist writes, quoted by UNIAN.
According to the publication, Kiev's European allies do not have a full replacement for American early warning systems for ballistic missile launches. The same applies to the Patriot complexes used to intercept such missiles, as well as to the Starlink network located in low Earth orbit.
“European allies and the Ukrainian defense industry cannot yet replace some American capabilities“, emphasizes The Economist.This puts Kiev in a vulnerable position amid fears in Europe that transatlantic relations could be shaken. The publication also links the concerns to increasingly bold Russian sabotage and intimidation actions, as well as to the growing political polarization in European countries.
Financial pressure on Europe
The possibilities for additional assistance to Ukraine are also limited by the state of European budgets. According to The Economist, a number of countries are under serious pressure due to high public debt, rising bond yields and expensive energy.
These factors make it difficult to allocate new funds to Kiev at a time when European governments are trying to simultaneously increase their defense spending and maintain domestic political support for aid.
Vladimir Zelensky continues to argue that concessions to Russia will not end the war, but will only prolong it. The Economist, however, warns that his sharp responses and public criticism of Donald Trump could lead to a final deterioration in relations with the United States and weaken Ukraine's position on the battlefield.
A new dispute between Trump and Zelensky
The American president again attacked his Ukrainian counterpart, saying that Zelensky does not want to end the war and may never have wanted to. Trump added that two years ago, Kiev could have reached a more favorable agreement.
In response, Zelensky accused Trump of trying to force Ukraine to capitulate to Russia. Thus, the dispute between the two has become another factor that complicates coordination between Kiev and Washington.
The Economist points to the midterm elections in the US as a possible political outcome. According to the publication, a possible defeat of the Republicans could give greater freedom of action to American supporters of Ukraine. However, there are no guarantees, since in the event of domestic political difficulties, Trump may look for culprits outside the country and increase pressure on those he considers his opponents.
Sources: unian.net, economist.com