Expert: Ukraine should be given offensive weapons
Security expert Rainer Saks said on the "Vikerhommik" morning show on Tuesday that the West should supply Ukraine with offensive arms to give it a chance to reclaim territory and advance.
"Any advance needs to be very cautious simply because they are short on offensive arms, so as not to overextend themselves," Saks said.
"They are mainly short on two components, which are armor to ensure safer advances and strike aircraft and fighters to deal with the enemy's air defenses. Local tactical successes cannot ensure rapid advance. That is why it would be crucial to send Ukraine offensive weapons systems," he remarked.
Saks added that adoption would also take time. "I believe it is high time to address this problem."
The expert said that he does not see the war quieting down in the coming weeks. "Ukraine understands that now is the time to gradually tip the scales in its favor. They will continue wearing out Russian troops, while trying to better position themselves to deny Russian forces the chance to keep shelling Kyiv, Kharkiv and other major cities in recent fashion. Ukraine is surely not dreaming about massive offensives to cleanse the entire country, while they understand that time currently working in their favor might not remain the situation for long," Saks offered.
"The next two weeks will be crucial in terms of Russia's ability to muster up reserves to restore its offensive potential, which does not seem to be going well at the moment. This would give Ukraine the chance to undertake a more thorough counteroffensive."
Saks added that should the Russian leadership fail to find a way out of the war in the coming weeks, its economy and military power could start waning to a point where a political crisis is created. "Perhaps not immediately, perhaps not this year, maybe next year. But I think Russia might be running out of time to end this war," he said.
Referring to negotiations between the two sides, the expert said that the leaders of Ukraine probably understand there is no real alternative to continued fighting. "Giving in would, in the best case scenario, force them to emigrate and for the Ukrainian state and people to cease to exist. Surrender would likely lead to mass arrests, killings and deportations. So, they are not as foolish as to go for some kind of a half-peace," he offered.
Saks said that international pressure on Russia for the aggression to end and troops to be moved out of Ukraine needs to be retained.
"The European Union needs to realize that if Ukraine loses this war, Europe needs to continue preparing for a potential conflict with Russia. Europe needs to always bear this in mind and do everything in its power for the war in Ukraine not to end in a way that would force it to launch corresponding preparations," he said.
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Editor: Marcus Turovski