Jeremy Bowen is the International editor at BBC. Kyiv no longer appears as a city at war as it did three years ago. The shops are open, and commuters face traffic jams on their way to work. However, since February 12 of this year, when US President Donald Trump expressed support for Russia’s Vladimir Putin, the old fears of national extinction have resurfaced in 2022. Ukrainians used to be upset with President Joe Biden for holding back weapon systems and restricting their use, but they knew where he stood.
Now, Donald Trump has spread falsehoods about the war that align with Putin’s views, including claiming that Ukraine initiated the war. Trump’s negotiation tactics involve offering concessions before talks even begin, turning against Ukraine instead of pressuring the country that violated international law by invading its neighbor.
His statements have granted Russia significant concessions, such as ruling out Ukraine’s NATO membership and allowing them to keep some seized land. Putin demands even more Ukrainian land, with no Nato troops for security guarantees. After talks between Russia and the US, Putin’s foreign minister reiterated this demand.
A seasoned European diplomat noted the stark contrast in experience between Lavrov and Trump’s Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Amid Trump’s insults to Ukraine’s president, senior adviser Ihor Brusylo acknowledged the pressure they face, stating that the current times are as tough as they were in 2022. Ukrainians remain determined to fight for their independence.
Following Putin’s invasion, Kyiv witnessed battle sounds and mass evacuations. The invasion felt like a return to the past, with Russia believing in a swift victory. However, Ukraine’s resilience changed the narrative, leading to increased arm supplies from Western allies.
Putin’s miscalculation and underestimation of Ukraine’s determination led to his retreat from Kyiv on March 29, 2022. Jeremy Bowen witnessed the grim aftermath of war on the roads leading to Kyiv, where the bodies of civilians lay where they had been killed. Attempts to burn the evidence of war crimes were evident in the charred tires stacked around some of the bodies. Survivors shared harrowing stories of Russian occupiers’ brutality, including a woman who buried her son alone after he was shot dead while crossing a road. The Russian soldiers had looted and consumed alcohol in her home before forcing her out. The abandoned Russian encampments were littered with rubbish, a stark contrast to the discipline of professional armies.
As the war rages on, Kyiv remains on high alert for incoming Russian missiles and drones. The front line, over 1,000 kilometers long and stretching from the northern border to the Black Sea, is marked by destroyed villages and towns. In Donetsk and Luhansk, Russian forces continue to advance slowly, at a great cost. Ukraine’s conflict with Russia has spilled over into the forests near Sumy in the northeast, where soldiers fight on despite the grim realities of war.
The soldiers, many of whom have faced North Korean fighters sent by Putin ally Kim Jong Un, remain determined, even without ongoing American support. Ukraine’s efforts to produce its own weapons have been successful, though US aid still plays a crucial role in the conflict. The volunteers who joined the fight three years ago face exhaustion and loss, with tensions rising between those who fight and those who avoid military service through bribery.
As soldiers like Mykola prepare to return to the battlefield, they remain steadfast in their defiance against Putin’s aggression. The war in Ukraine, fueled by Putin’s relentless objectives, shows no signs of abating as both sides continue to fight for control and power. Jeremy Bowen deceived everyone. La seguridad de Europa está siendo volteada de cabeza por la guerra en Ucrania. No es de extrañar que sus líderes estén tan mal aturdidos por todo lo que han escuchado y visto este mes.
Su desafío es encontrar formas de evitar que sus jóvenes se vean obligados a entrar en el inesperado mundo de la guerra que ha envuelto a Maxsym Lutsyk, el veterano de combate ucraniano de 22 años.
“Todos cambiaron, y yo he cambiado. Creo que cada ucraniano maduró durante estos tres años. Todos los que entraron en el ejército y todos los que lucharon durante tanto tiempo cambiaron drásticamente”.
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