Interview with the Czech president Petr Pavel, former army general. He previously served as Chairman of the NATO Military Committee from 2015 to 2018, and as the Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces from 2012 to 2015. He won the presidential election in 2023. He ran on a platform of closer cooperation with NATO allies and support for Ukraine. He embraced a hawkish stance on Russia and China.
From the interview:
According to him, Ukraine will have only one attempt to counterattack.
He also says there are limits to the Western military aid Ukraine can receive in the future.
There are also limits on Ukraine's side because, for example, human resources are not infinite. There are also limits to Western aid. We have to be realistic, he says.
America's interest in Ukraine and the level of aid may decrease next year. And when America's interest wanes, many European countries will do the same.
Automatic translation from Polish:
You mention these constraints on the Western side, including that related to the US elections. Then how much time do the Ukrainians have to launch a major counter-offensive to drive the Russians from their territory?
This should happen within a few months. The window of opportunity is open this year. After next winter, it will be extremely difficult to maintain the current level of assistance. War fatigue is not only the exhaustion of human resources and equipment, the destruction of infrastructure in Ukraine, but also fatigue in the countries that are providing aid. Many countries, many politicians are expecting some kind of progress this year. I think Ukraine will only have one attempt to carry out a major counter-offensive. Therefore, if it decides to launch a major counter-offensive and it fails, it will be extremely difficult to get funding for the next one.