Ukraine: realities | «The Weekly Five»: 03.06 – 09.06

Biden outlined his vision of peace in Ukraine: without NATO membership

U.S. President Joe Biden stated that peace in Ukraine means ensuring that Russia can never occupy Ukraine; in his opinion, NATO membership is not necessary for this.

Biden was responding to a question about his vision of peace in Ukraine after the Russia-Ukraine war. 

"Peace looks like ensuring that Russia never, never, never, never, never occupies Ukraine. That's what peace looks like. And it doesn't mean NATO (that) they are part of NATO," said the U.S. president.

"It means that we have the same relations with them as with other countries to which we supply weapons so that they can defend themselves in the future. But ... I was the one who said that I am not ready to support the NATO-ization of Ukraine," Biden said.

He recalled the times when he visited Ukraine as a senator and vice president: "There was significant corruption there. This was a circumstance that really complicated everything."

However, he emphasized that the West must not allow Ukraine to fall, as this would mean instability for all countries along the Russian border, the Balkans, and Belarus.

Biden also refuted the claim that NATO is on a slippery slope to war with Russia by helping Ukraine.

“No, we will be on a slippery slope to war if we do nothing for Ukraine,” he said.

State Department: China could be useful at the Peace Summit but it is helping Russia

U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller, commenting on China's refusal to participate in the Peace Summit, said that the U.S. does not see how China could play a positive role in ending the war, as it is helping Russia restore its defense-industrial base.

"We have always made it clear that China could play a useful diplomatic role in resolving this conflict if it wanted to. But it is hard to understand how they can play such a role considering the actions China has taken in recent months to rebuild and reconstruct Russia's defense-industrial base. So we will continue to make it clear to China that we oppose such actions and will hold accountable those organizations involved. We have already heard that our European colleagues plan to do the same."

Macron announced when the training of Ukrainians on Mirage 2000 will begin

French President Emmanuel Macron stated that the preparation for training Ukrainian pilots and mechanics for Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets will begin "in the coming days."

Macron declined to talk about the number of Mirage 2000-5s and with which countries their supply is being discussed, adding: "I think you can understand that."

"We have agreed on the needs, now the priority is to start training pilots and mechanics because this is something that will be launched literally in the next few days in France. It is about technical training that will take place on our territory," he announced.

The French president added that after this, Paris will clarify the possibilities of what exactly it can provide to Ukraine, and the relevant discussions "have already started a few months ago with several of our partners."

ISW: Reinforcement of the Russian army will not allow it to conduct offensive operations in several directions

According to analysts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), the replenishment of the Russian army with new recruits will not allow it to conduct large-scale offensive operations in the summer in several directions, as the new reserves will not be able to act as first or second echelon penetration forces.

Ukrainian military observer Kostiantyn Mashovets noted on June 8 that part of the 30,000 servicemen that Russia mobilizes every month arrives at the front as replacements and reinforcements and that Russian mobilization efforts have only allowed the occupiers to create limited operational and strategic reserves.

Mashovets stated that on average, each Russian operational group of troops receives from 1,000 to 1,500 servicemen as replacements or reinforcements every month and can receive 2,000 if the group is responsible for intensive offensive operations.

There are six operational Russian groups of troops operating in and near Ukraine. This means that Mashovets suggests that Russian troops receive a total of 6,000 to 12,000 new servicemen every month.

The report notes that this figure is not inconsistent with Ukrainian and Russian reports from January and April 2024 that Russia recruits 30,000 new servicemen every month, as a significant part of this new personnel will perform combat support and combat service support functions or later take on combat roles after training.

Bloomberg: Germany may send another Patriot to Ukraine

The German government is considering sending Ukraine another – already the fourth – Patriot anti-aircraft missile battery to strengthen Ukraine's air defense. Bloomberg writes about this.

It is expected that the new Patriot SAM battery from Germany will complement the previous three that Germany has already transferred or promised to transfer to Ukraine in the spring when Russia intensified missile strikes on Ukraine.

However, Bloomberg sources clarified that Berlin has not yet made a final decision.

In May, Germany announced the start of training Ukrainian crews on the third Patriot air defense system that Kyiv will receive.

It has also led an initiative to find air defense means for Ukraine around the world.

The project «Ukraine: realities» is implemented by the News agency «Konkurent» together with the Civic Movement «SVIDOMI» in English for readers from other countries to tell to tell about current news and events in Ukraine.

Проєкт «Ukraine: realities» реалізовується Інформаційним агентством «Конкурент» спільно з Громадянським Рухом «СВІДОМІ» на англійській мові для читачів з інших країн аби розповісти про актуальні новини та події в Україні.