LOS ANGELES.–Russian military said today that it has taken the village of Basivka in the Suny region of Ukraine, continuing to meet stiff resistance from Ukrainian forces. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pressed a counteroffensive Aug. 8, 2024 into the Kursk Russian border territory, hoping to divert Russian troops away from the 1,000 km front, where Russia had taken Zaporizhzhia, Kheson, Luhansk and Donetsk, all claimed as Russian sovereign territory. Zelensky denies that Russian has control over the four provinces but most military experts see Russian firmly in control. “As of today, the Russians do not control Basivka in Suny region. They are trying to run in there in assault groups and look for cellars in order to gain a foothold, but the enemy is being destroyed,” said Andriy Kovalenko, a Ukrainain National Security and Defense Counsel, said on Telegram messenger.
Ukrainian officials deny the Russian advance that’s seized more territory daily during the over three years of war. Whatever the resistance posed by Ukraine, Putin looks firmly in control of Kherson, Zaporizhizhia, Luhansk and Donetsk. Whether Russia seized the Suny town of Basivka is anyone’s guess, something reported by the Russian military. What’s known for sure is that Ukraine has abandoned most of the positions inside Russia seized in the Kursk region, now occupying only 63 sq. km from once 1,400 km. Zelensky denied that his troops were surrounded in a Russian pincer maneuver, forcing most to leave Kurk. But whatever the reason, Ukraine appears in retreat, losing more ground to Russia daily, as the war of attrition looks in Russia’s favor. “The fighting in the Suny border area is complex and continues daily in several areas and is also taking place in the Kursk border area,” Kvalenko said.
Reports from the front along the 1,000 km front line shows that Russia continues to pick up more sovereign territory. There’s no indication that Ukraine has pushed Russia back from its consolidated territories in Zaporizhzhia, Luhanks and Donetsk, showing the Kremlin in firm control of Ukrainian territory. Zelensky wants Putin in any peace deal to return Ukrainian territory, something Putin refuses to do. So, Zelensky makes it difficult for Trump knowing that any realistic peace plan has Ukraine trading sovereign land captured by Russia over the last three years part of any peace deal. Pro-Ukrainian DeepState says in can neither confirm nor deny Russian claims that Basivka is in Russian control. That’s a sure sign that Russia actually controls Basivka in the Suny region now. Trump sees the steady retreat by Ukrainian forces prompting him to cut a deal with Putin.
Ukrainian peace talks cannot include Zelensky or the EU at this point, knowing that Putin would never agree to terms sought by Kiev or the EU. Trump wants Zelensky to let him negotiate the best possible settlement with Putin to get the ceasefire and peace deal necessary to stop the war. No use in setting unrealistic conditions that have no chance of succeeding, including any post-war security arrangement involving European troops. If the EU wants the war to end to stop the destruction and bloodshed, they need to put their faith in Trump’s talks with Putin, not let Zelensky make unrealistic demands. If Ukraine reduced its presence in the Kursk region from 1,400 km to 63 km, that at tells the story of an army in retreat. Undoing the damage done by years of war isn’t possible other than by cutting losses and negotiating the best possible peace deal available.
Zelensky hasn’t leveled with the Ukrainian public about his country’s losses in three years of war with the Kremlin. Telling Ukraine’s people that he’s not happy with the U.S. only makes things worse for Zelensky and the U.S. relationship. Trump isn’t going to endorse the Biden proxy war strategy with the Kremlin. It’s up to the EU to decide whether it’s willing to take over funding the conflict or let Trump work with Putin on an acceptable peace deal. For Zelensky, nothing short of removing every Russian soldier from Ukraine’s territory is acceptable. But that’s just not realistic, something recently repeated by EU officials. If the EU wished to help Zelensky stop the destruction and carnage, they would tell Zelensky to follow Trump’s lead into peace talks. Zelensky pitted the EU against the U.S. that does nothing to help resolve the three-year old war.
When you look at the big picture, you’d think that the EU must get real and firm with Zelensky telling him in no uncertain terms to let Trump negotiate a peace deal with Moscow. Gone are the days of pie-in-the-sky that war-ravaged Ukraine was going to vanquish the Russian Federation. Zelensky said last week the Putin suffered from a terminal illness and wouldn’t be around much longer. But whether it’s Putin or some other Russian leader, Zelensky wouldn’t get a better peace deal than what Trump can deliver. Macron and von der Leyen do Zelensky no favors saying that want Ukraine to defeat the Russian Federation. EU officials have not offered to take over financing the war against the Kremlin. Brussels sympathizes with Zelensky but it’s not their war to fight or the U.S. war. Critizing the U.S. embassy, Zelensky showed that he he’s not dealing with reality.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analzyin spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
