In the following three weeks, Ukraine will be able to reverse the momentum and defeat Russia if the Western world urgently provides everything that Kyiv asks for.
This was stated in an interview to TSN given by the former commanding general of U.S. Army forces in Europe, Retired Lieutenant General Ben Hodges.
“The Russians have failed in all their goals. Even today, after five weeks, they still have not taken Mariupol, which was to become the first city to fall, given all the advantages that the russians had, – he said. They can’t admit their failure, so now they have to go for something else. But it will not last forever. We have an opportunity, I think, in the next three weeks, when Ukraine will step on the Kremlin’s neck. And we must help them go forward and break this neck, urgently providing everything Ukraine asks for.”
According to Hodges, if the Western world does not help, the russians will start to recover, bring in ammunition, and will attempt a new offensive.
“Right now we are at the critical stage of this campaign,” the General said. Therefore, we must seize the opportunity now – while they failed – to break them. Otherwise, we will have to deal with this again in two or three years. That is why we must now talk about victory. There is not even anything to discuss. The priority is to win – to restore Ukraine’s sovereignty. And this should be a goal for the United States and Europe, to help Ukraine regain its sovereignty. Then it will be possible to speak from a position of strength.”
According to Ben Hodges, NATO countries should provide Ukraine with the aid it requests.
“In particular, they need weapons that will help destroy what causes the most problems. That is, long-range missiles, long-range artillery, russian ships and aircraft from which cruise missiles are launched. That is, we need to give Ukraine something that can stop the weapons I have listed,” he added. In addition, 122-mm and 152-mm artillery and missiles, as well as medium-range SAM. And I also think that we need to provide Ukraine with armored mobile vehicles.”
According to CNN, the USA will help Ukraine to receive Soviet-designed tanks T-72 and they will be delivered within several days.