Ukraine promised more munitions from and by Russia
April 4, 2023Ukraine is undergoing a vast rehabilitation operation to repair infrastructure, including schools, bridges, buildings, transportation, and energy infrastructure. The European bridge has become an iconic emblem of the conflict, representing the Ukrainians’ experience of Russians coming to conquer their country. The IMF estimates that the final rebuilding price would be over $350 billion, with additional expenditures in the billions of euros due to Russia’s attempt to disrupt Ukraine’s energy supply.
Ukraine must encourage the West to contribute to the UN Development Program (UNDP) funding, and people are committed to rebuilding their lives. Disaster response operations include rubble removal and mining, while infrastructure repairs are necessary to restore health, education, and social services. Support from the international community and the commercial sector, as well as international standards and regulations, are expected.
The US is providing more munitions to Ukraine, so "Russia promises more munitions to forces." Fighting continues.
Our country must get behind peace talks, not further aggression or escalation.
The world IS watching, but not cheering on the US anymore…
https://t.co/cyfYgj0jyE— Mattske (@mattebphl) April 1, 2023
The war in Ukraine has seen a ramping up of NATO, with the number of soldiers deployed in NATO countries closest to Russia having doubled in one year. There are still questions about the amount of support NATO nations and now giving to Ukraine, as some objections from Turkey. A summit is expected in the next month to try and resolve the issue with Turkey, Sweden, and Finland.
NATO is currently facing a greater threat to its border in Ukraine, but the system has come under strain and few allies meet the NATO target of keeping a 30-day supply of ammunition. The outcome of the November 2024 presidential elections will determine if Europe has the political, economic, and military power to carry on with its policy. Ukraine has reacted warily to a Chinese proposal for a political settlement, and Russia has been able to persuade its people that it is a member of the alliance of all major Western countries with a combined GDP much above that of Russia.
NATO is returning to its original role of countering the threat from Russia as the tension between Russia and Ukraine escalates. The European Union has sent billions of dollars of aid and weapons to Ukraine, and the accession process for it to join the bloc has started. Ukrainian politicians hope to become part of the decision-making process at the heart of European democracy, but they need to focus on corruption to become an EU member.
Transparency International’s corruption index shows that Ukraine is one of the most corrupt countries in Europe. China has proposed a 12-point plan calling for a political settlement, but the West has responded with skepticism.
Russia has welcomed China’s plan, saying it needs to be in the middle to try and come to a resolution. The Russian government has been unanimous in saying that this is an existential issue and that the inevitability of war has been of the top talking points.
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