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Ukraine and its Western allies are steadily losing the war of attrition against Russia and must change tack to avoid a catastrophic loss and focus on turning Ukraine into a Western-style rather than recovering all lost territories, the Economist says in a leader article to its latest edition.
"If Ukraine and its Western backers are to win, they must first have the courage to admit that they are losing," the magazine says. "Russia’s ability to sustain high losses, coupled with Ukraine’s smaller population and stretched resources, puts Ukraine at risk of collapse before Russia exhausts its war effort."
The magazine said Ukraine appears to be losing ground steadily on the battlefield, particularly around Pokrovsk, while steady Russian attacks on the power grid have left Ukrainians facing long blackouts as the winter cold approaches. Meanwhile, the support of its allies is fraying and populist movements could vut Ukraine off from military and financial support.
"To prevent this, Zelensky needs to recalibrate his objectives," the magazine says. "A focus on consolidating Ukraine as a Western-leaning democracy, rather than reclaiming all lost territories, may keep Western backers engaged."
At the same time, accelerating Ukraine's NATO membership hopes, plus aid of long-range missiles and air defenses, could give Ukraine the security guarantees it needs.
"By redefining victory and strengthening defense capabilities, Ukraine may be able to halt Russia’s advances and secure its future," the Economist wrote.
